Ray Charles-my one pet peeve

[Steve Hoffman]

I don't know of a falling out, but I have heard that Ray Charles denies
that his music was influenced by Guitar Slim, which seems very odd, because:
-- prior to his stint as piano player in Guitar Slim's band, Ray Charles
pretty much sounded like hundreds of other cool, West Coast club-blues
guys like Charles Brown, early Nat King Cole
-- he then has a stint with Guitar Slim, who sings and plays in a
uninhibited, intense, downhome style
-- immediately thereafter, Charles himself starts recording in an
uninhibited, intense, downhome style.

I think the evidence of the music speaks for himself.  Combined with the
point Steve Freund makes (about Guitar Slim being such a star at that
time circa 1953-55, obviously something that would impress the
up-and-coming Ray Charles).

Of course, there are many differences between Guitar Slim and Ray
Charles and in no way did the latter "copy" the former.  For one thing,
while Guitar Slim took elements of black gospel in his vocals, Ray
Charles went a step further -- he literally took gospel songs and re-did
them with secular lyrics, thus being (arguably) THE inventor of "soul
music" (whereas Guitar Slim was a blues guy, Charles pretty much
invented a whole new genre.)

But there is a "letting go" quality to Ray Charles music that seems to
have arisen as a result of his stint with Guitar Slim, and I just cannot
help but believe that seeing Guitar Slim let it all hang out gave young
Ray the inspiration to unbutton himself and get DOWN more with his
music, which had previously been nice but somewhat superficial.

Steve Hoffman




Steve Freund wrote:

>I very much enjoyed the film, and the book as well.  One thing that bothers me is the complete
>absence of Guitar Slim in the film, and the one line description of him in the book.  One would
>think recording with such a heavyweight, as Slim was in his time, would be worth a few moments
>in the film.  I have spoken to many southern folks through the years, and anyone who was alive
>during the 50's says that Guitar Slim was the biggest thing goin' on, along the lines of Elvis and
>Jerry Lee Lewis.  Basically, he was a rock star on the chitlin' circuit.  I wonder if Ray and he had a
>falling out of some sort.  I bet there is a story behind the scenes.  Anybody know something about
>it?
>
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