Black Country Music History: 7 Artists You Need To Know - Page 4
- By
Shannon Dawson
4. Ray Charles
Source: Getty
Though primarily known for his pioneering work in R&B and soul, Ray Charles made significant contributions to country music with his album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music in 1962. This album was groundbreaking for blending soul and country in a way that had never been done before. According to the Jacksonville Music Experience, the project spent 14 weeks atop the U.S. Pop albums chart and introduced a wide audience to the sounds of country music.
His renditions of country classics like “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and “You Are My Sunshine” brought a new dimension to the genre and introduced country music to a broader, more diverse audience. Charles’s influence is still felt in both the country and soul music scenes.
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