Albums Quote by Willie Nelson

Finding out that Ray Charles sang country songs but it sounded as soulful as any rhythm and blues record that kind of opened up…

— Michael Kiwanuka

I'm a big country fan. I remember, as a kid, when Ray Charles did the 'Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music' record. That's…

— Michael McDonald

Ray Charles, in his own way, it's like at the beginning, Ray Charles changed American music, not once but twice.

— Taylor Hackford

Everyone felt like they knew Ray Charles and in a way they did, because he was embodied by his music.

— Ahmet Ertegun

I love Hank Williams songs, but I love hearing Ray Charles sing them much more.

— Michael McDonald

Ray had so much love of life and the music. He had so much integrity. He treated the music with so much dignity and…

— Benny Green

I'd say that Ray Charles is definitely the biggest influence on my singing. Also Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.

— Michael McDonald

The label I was on had Dionne, The Shirelles and several other R&B artists. I loved guys like Ray Charles and I tried to…

— B. J. Thomas

I was really only around country music on the radio, and I think because I grew up so close to Atlanta, and R&B was…

— Sam Hunt

My dad has always been a big Ray Charles fan, and I've grown up listening to all kinds of music.

— Avicii

Country music has always been about as close to R&B as you can possibly get. We're storytellers.

— Lionel Richie

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…

— Van Morrison