PEOPLE IN AMERICA - Ray Charles, Pt. 2

PEOPLE IN AMERICA - Ray Charles, Pt. 2
By Paul Thompson

Broadcast: Sunday, July 18, 2004

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VOICE ONE:

This is Faith Lapidus.

VOICE TWO:

And this is Doug Johnson with People In America in VOA Special English.

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VOICE ONE:

Last week, we began the story of a blind musician who had a huge influence on American popular music. He was famous for his recordings² of jazz, rock-and-roll, blues³ and country music. His name was Ray Charles Robinson. But the world knew him better as Ray Charles.

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VOICE TWO:

The name of that song is "Let's Go Get Stoned." It is an example of Ray Charles' own kind of music-his own sound. He worked hard for several years to create that sound. No one ever tried it before. He mixed black church music, blues and rock-and-roll. The sound was extremely successful. In the nineteen-fifties, his records began to sell millions of copies.

At the same time, Ray Charles recorded jazz music. Those records sold well, too. Critics said they were new and exciting. Listen to his jazz song, "Sweet Sixteen Bars."

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VOICE ONE:

Ray Charles became famous because he could play blues, rock and jazz. He also liked other kinds of music. He told record company officials that he wanted to record an album of country-and-western music.

The president of the record company told him it would be a mistake. He said Ray's fans would not buy the album. Charles disagreed. He said he believed he would gain many new fans to replace the few he might lose. He produced the album and it was an immediate⁴ success.

 
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The album was called "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music." Many of the songs were major hits. One of the most popular was "I Can't Stop Loving You." It is a country-and-western song with Ray Charles' sound of blues and black church music.

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VOICE TWO:

Ray Charles lived in a world of sound. For six months each year he traveled with his orchestra⁶, performing in theaters. For the other six months, he worked in his recording¹ studio in Los Angles⁷, California. He did much of the recording work to produce his own albums.

Ray Charles would often say that sound and music were his life's blood. In fact, he said many times that he would not trade his musical ability for the ability to see again.

 
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You begin to understand what sound meant to Ray Charles when you learn that he helped create and support the Robinson Foundation⁸ for Hearing Disorders⁹. This organization helps people deal with the loss of their hearing.

You might think Ray Charles would have given his time and money to help the blind. He did not. He once said, "Being blind is my handicap¹⁰. But ears are my opportunity." He said losing his hearing would have ended his life.

VOICE ONE:

Ray Charles lived a long life that included his share of problems. There was a time when he used illegal drugs. He was married and divorced¹¹ several times. Yet the Ray Charles sound, and his success, continued.

He received twelve Grammy Awards from the recording industry. He was one of the first musicians to be elected to the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame. Several universities honored¹² him. So did the French and American governments. His home state of Georgia made his recording of "Georgia on My Mind" the official state song.

Several years ago, Ray Charles was asked to sing at a political convention¹³. He performed the song "America the Beautiful." Many people thought his recording was the best ever made.

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VOICE TWO:

Ray Charles always said he owed most of his success to his mother. He said when he was a boy, she taught him a valuable lesson. She told him, "You can do anything you want to do. You cannot use your eyes. But you can work hard and use your brain."

 
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Ray Charles died June tenth, two-thousand-four at the age of seventy-three. Music experts say he did more than anyone in the twentieth century to change American popular music.

VOICE ONE:

More than one-hundred years ago, Alice Cary wrote a poem that could have been written for Ray Charles. She wrote:

My soul is full of whispered song, --

My blindness is my sight;

The shadows that I feared so long

Are full of life and light.

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VOICE TWO:

This program was written by Paul Thompson. It was produced by Lawan Davis. This is Doug Johnson.

VOICE ONE:

And this is Faith Lapidus. Join us again next week for another PEOPLE IN AMERICA program in VOA Special English.

1 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

2 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

3 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

6 orchestra   

n.管弦乐队；vt.命令，定购

参考例句：

• He plays the violin in an orchestra.他在管弦乐队中演奏小提琴。
• I was tempted to stay and hear this superb orchestra rehearse.我真想留下来听这支高超的管弦乐队排练。

7 angles   

n.角( angle的名词复数 )；[比喻]（考虑、问题的）角度；观点；轮廓鲜明的突出体

参考例句：

• She angles her reports to suit the people she is speaking to. 她带着一定的倾向性作报告以迎合她的听众。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Angles of less than 90 degrees are called acute angles. 小于90度的角叫锐角。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

9 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 handicap   

n.障碍（身体或智力方面的），缺陷；vt.妨碍

参考例句：

• Losing our best player was a handicap to the team.失去最棒的运动员对我队不利。
• His physical handicap prevented him from standing.因为他身体残废，无法站立。

11 divorced   

adj.离婚的；分开的；不相干的；脱离的v.与…离婚(divorce的过去式和过去分词)；分离；与某人离婚，判某人离婚

参考例句：

• Apparently they are getting divorced soon. 看样子，他们很快就要离婚。
• Many divorced men remarry and have second families. 许多离婚的男子再婚组成了新的家庭。

12 honored   

adj.光荣的：荣幸的v.尊敬，给以荣誉( honor的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I hope to be honored with further orders. 如蒙惠顾，不胜荣幸。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is a time-honored custom. 这是一个古老的习俗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 convention   

n.惯例，习俗，常规，会议，大会

参考例句：

• How many delegates have checked in at the convention?大会已有多少代表报到？
• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。