Man, I'll climb right on board this wagon. All that stuff they're saying about Reagan these days (changed the world, measureless legacy) if actually true about Ray Charles. Simply the most influential vocalist of his generation, I'd say, and one who lived long enough to sing "Georgia on my Mind" on the floor of the long-racist Georgia Legislature. Ray legitimatized "soul singing" and vocal improvisations that are standard practice today. His versatility covered a wide berth of popular music rhythm and blues, country ballads and tasty jazz piano. His version of "That Lucky Old Sun" is still one of the most moving performances I've heard. Damn, I'm sorry we lost him.