Ray Charles

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Vol 1 & 2 (1962)

First note: it’s not country and western music - at all

Wiki told me it’s current coutnry and western performed in popular sounds of songs of the time (1962).

The album departed further stylistically from the rhythm and blues music Charles had recorded for Atlantic Records in the 1950s. It featured country, folk, and Western musicstandards reworked by Charles in popular song forms of the time, including R&B, pop, and jazz. Charles produced the album with Sid Feller, who helped the singer select songs to record, and performed alongside saxophonist Hank Crawford, a string section conducted by Marty Paich, and a big band arranged by Gil Fuller and Gerald Wilson.

It’s an interesting album for me. It isn’t what I expected Ray Charles to sound like when I think of Georgia on My Mind or whatever is slapper is.

This is more poppy. More 50s pop, early 60s pop, right before the Beatles pop. Maybe it’s this R&B kinda guy doing late 50s/early 60s pop music. This blind pianist with a soulful voice doing non-soulful versions of soulful country songs. It works.

Note to self: Maybe I should go back and listen to the country/western versions of these songs. See if there’s real soul there.](<### Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Vol 1 & 2 (1962)

First note: it’s not country and western music - at all

Wiki told me it’s current coutnry and western performed in popular sounds of songs of the time (1962).

%3E The album departed further stylistically from the rhythm and blues music Charles had recorded for Atlantic Records in the 1950s. It featured country, folk, and Western musicstandards reworked by Charles in popular song forms of the time, including R&B, pop, and jazz. Charles produced the album with Sid Feller, who helped the singer select songs to record, and performed alongside saxophonist Hank Crawford, a string section conducted by Marty Paich, and a big band arranged by Gil Fuller and Gerald Wilson.

It’s an interesting album for me. It isn’t what I expected Ray Charles to sound like when I think of Georgia on My Mind or whatever is slapper is.

This is more poppy. More 50s pop, early 60s pop, right before the Beatles pop. Maybe it’s this R&B kinda guy doing late 50s/early 60s pop music. This blind pianist with a soulful voice doing non-soulful versions of soulful country songs.

It works.

Note to self: Maybe I should go back and listen to the country/western versions of these songs. See if there’s real soul there. A spotify playlist of the OGs.>)