In July 1966, LIFE magazine published a remarkable feature story on the man Frank Sinatra reportedly once called “the only true genius in show business” — Mr. Ray Charles. Whether or not he was the only genius in show business is debatable; but there’s no getting around the fact that Ray Charles is one of a handful of the most influential American musicians in history. A prodigious pianist, soulful songwriter and vocalist of astonishing range and power, Charles transformed the pop-culture landscape with his melding of gospel, blues and R&B music during the 1950s.
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