--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first heard Ray Charles, he was a…" description: "\"When I first heard Ray Charles, he was a flop artist on a small label in California. He hadn't sold any records. And I bought his contract for $2,500.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/ahmet-ertegun-15275_any_when-i-first-heard-ray-charles-he-was-a_1464148.jpg" --- # When I first heard Ray Charles, he was a flop artist on a… ![“When I first heard Ray Charles, he was a flop artist on a small label in California. He hadn't sold any records. And I bought his contract for $2,500.” quote by Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/ahmet-ertegun-15275_any_when-i-first-heard-ray-charles-he-was-a_1464148.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/ahmet-ertegun-15275_any_when-i-first-heard-ray-charles-he-was-a_1464148.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/ahmet-ertegun-15275_any_when-i-first-heard-ray-charles-he-was-a_1464148.jpg) > “When I first heard Ray Charles, he was a flop artist on a small label in California. He hadn't sold any records. And I bought his contract for $2,500.” [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Investing early in unknown talent can yield massive returns. **In simple terms:** Buy talent early for big payoff. Key Takeaway Invest early in promising talent. Themes risk‑taking vision music industry Mood reflective optimistic Type strategic historical When to use this quote - record label signing - startup funding - venture capital - artist development Key Concepts Talent scouting investment strategy Questions to Reflect On - What criteria predict future success? - How to mitigate risk when backing unknown talent? A Different Perspective Early investment can be costly if talent fails. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [California](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/california/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [One day I heard Ray Charles on the radio and I found out he was blind. I thought, 'You know what, if there's room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-feliciano/one-day-i-heard-ray-charles-on-the-radio-and-i-found-out-he-was-blind/) [Jose Feliciano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-feliciano/) > [I haven't really heard much that's impressed me the way it was when I first heard Ray Charles or somebody like that. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-haven-t-really-heard-much-that-s-impressed-me-the-way-it-was-when-i/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [“There is no such thing as cool--follow your enthusiasms honestly. The few records you ever bought to impress stay in their sleeves... Except for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-galliano/there-is-no-such-thing-as-cool-follow-your-enthusiasms-honestly-the/) Joseph Galliano > [It's good to listen to lots of different stuff, just whatever you like. The first two records I ever bought were Alice Cooper, Killer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hetfield/it-s-good-to-listen-to-lots-of-different-stuff-just-whatever-you-like/) [James Hetfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hetfield/) > [One of the first records I bought for myself was a Keith Whitley record. I still love the 'L.A. to Miami' album. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-young/one-of-the-first-records-i-bought-for-myself-was-a-keith-whitley/) [Chris Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-young/) > [Everyone felt like they knew Ray Charles and in a way they did, because he was embodied by his music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/everyone-felt-like-they-knew-ray-charles-and-in-a-way-they-did/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [I love Ray Charles. He can still teach everybody a lot about how to make great music. Not necessarily how to make hits, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/i-love-ray-charles-he-can-still-teach-everybody-a-lot-about-how-to/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [How could they call him wacko? He's sold more records than anybody in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-jackson/how-could-they-call-him-wacko-he-s-sold-more-records-than-anybody-in/) [Joseph Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-jackson/) > [It's so different now coming out as a new artist today than it was when I came out almost ten years ago. Now, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avril-lavigne/it-s-so-different-now-coming-out-as-a-new-artist-today-than-it-was/) [Avril Lavigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avril-lavigne/) > [If you sold a million records, the only way you could be disappointed is if the guy down the street sold seven million. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/if-you-sold-a-million-records-the-only-way-you-could-be-disappointed/) [Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/) > [When we were younger and first starting out in Australia, we found that we sold more records by word of mouth because we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-young/when-we-were-younger-and-first-starting-out-in-australia-we-found/) [Angus Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-young/) > [Everybody raps. We rap to make money. We do business. Ain't no other record company out there that sold as many records as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/everybody-raps-we-rap-to-make-money-we-do-business-ain-t-no-other/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [In 20 years I had sold more records for RCA than any artist except Elvis Presley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-pride/in-20-years-i-had-sold-more-records-for-rca-than-any-artist-except/) [Charley Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-pride/) > [I grew up in an era where the record companies just sold records to everybody, and the whole family bought songs. Today, record companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-grew-up-in-an-era-where-the-record-companies-just-sold-records-to-2/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [I grew up in an era where the record companies just sold records to everybody, and the whole family bought songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-grew-up-in-an-era-where-the-record-companies-just-sold-records-to/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) ## More by Ahmet Ertegun > [I don't use the computer. But my secretary does. I want to take some computer courses because I'm interested in some of the access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/i-don-t-use-the-computer-but-my-secretary-does-i-want-to-take-some/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [Flashy people aren't everything, you know. Even when they have frizzled hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/flashy-people-aren-t-everything-you-know-even-when-they-have-frizzled/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [I came close to signing Elvis Presley. I offered $25,000 for his contract and they asked for $45,000 and I just didn't have the other $20,000.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/i-came-close-to-signing-elvis-presley-i-offered-25-000-for-his/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [The Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame will provide a center where the lives and the artistry of the greatest jazz musicians will be celebrated,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/the-ertegun-jazz-hall-of-fame-will-provide-a-center-where-the-lives/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [Rock n' roll really belongs to all America. It really doesn't belong to one city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/rock-n-roll-really-belongs-to-all-america-it-really-doesn-t-belong-to/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [There are still many great surviving talents: Stevie Winwood. Another great talent is Stevie Wonder. Another one is Eric Clapton. Another one is Phil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/there-are-still-many-great-surviving-talents-stevie-winwood-another/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [I became a jazz fan quite early and never went off the path thereafter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/i-became-a-jazz-fan-quite-early-and-never-went-off-the-path-thereafter/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [It is a great life, this life of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/it-is-a-great-life-this-life-of-music/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [My father believed very strongly in Ataturk. Ataturk was a very powerful man and a man of great vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/my-father-believed-very-strongly-in-ataturk-ataturk-was-a-very/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [If anybody asks me where I'm from, my first inclination is to say, 'Washington,' because that's where I grew up meaningfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/if-anybody-asks-me-where-i-m-from-my-first-inclination-is-to-say/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [There's been so much bad blood between the Kurds and the Turks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/there-s-been-so-much-bad-blood-between-the-kurds-and-the-turks/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [I love Ray Charles. He can still teach everybody a lot about how to make great music. Not necessarily how to make hits, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/i-love-ray-charles-he-can-still-teach-everybody-a-lot-about-how-to/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [As I grew up, I began to discover a little bit about the situation of black people in America and experienced an immediate empathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/as-i-grew-up-i-began-to-discover-a-little-bit-about-the-situation-of/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [I did a little bit to raise the dignity and recognition of the greatness of African-American music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/i-did-a-little-bit-to-raise-the-dignity-and-recognition-of-the/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [Soul lyrics, soul music came at about the same time as the civil rights movement, and it's very possible that one influenced the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/soul-lyrics-soul-music-came-at-about-the-same-time-as-the-civil/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) [Explore all 43 Ahmet Ertegun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) ## More Any quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. 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I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [The system in Germany is different, as you sign up with a company for two or three years, and you work exclusively with them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wlaschiha/the-system-in-germany-is-different-as-you-sign-up-with-a-company-for/) [Tom Wlaschiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wlaschiha/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I love the sea, but I avoid any sort of seaside resort that has skyscrapers or seaside entertainments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-blake/i-love-the-sea-but-i-avoid-any-sort-of-seaside-resort-that-has/) [Quentin Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-blake/) Browse all 6,938 Any quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I first heard Ray Charles, he was a flop artist on a small label in California. He hadn't sold any records. 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