Early Years

Ray Charles | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 1, 1996)
• Original Release Date: July 12, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: King
• ASIN: B0000017B7
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,232,903 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Ain't That Fine

2. Honey, Honey

3. Ray Charles Blues

4. Don't Put All Your Dreams In One Basket

5. St. Pete Florida Blues

6. You Always Miss The Water (When The Well Goes Dry)

7. Sentimental Blues

8. Jack, She's On The Ball

9. Can Anyone Ask For More

10. Let's Have A Ball

11. If I Give You My Love

12. Sitting On Top Of The World

13. I've Had My Fun

14. Rockin' Chair Blues

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Swing Time & Down Beat Recordings, September 1, 2007

By 

Chris bct "music everyday" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Early Years (Audio CD)

From 1949 to 1952 before he signed to Atlantic he was 19 to 22 years old. He first signed to Downbeat (which became Swingtime) Records. It's clear from listening to the Listen buttons here that almost all or all of these 16 songs are from this period. There are apparently 42 known songs from this period and 41 or 42 of them appear on The Complete Swing Time & Down Beat Recordings 1949-1945 and also on Ray Charles 45 Great Performances, both 2xCD sets. I'm a massive fan of this period. He sounds like a grown man already. Kissa Me Baby could be my favorite song of all time and I love rock and punk too. There's several songs where he has strong horns supporting him. There's none of the hokey back up singers like in I Can't Stop Loving You in these recordings. Frankly, this stuff is special. No massive 50's and 60's hits of his. [...]

4.0 out of 5 stars Nat Cole influence, May 21, 2011

By 

Yellowkid (Casco, Maine USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Early Years (Audio CD)

It's interesting to listen to these late 40's recordings and hear the heavy Nat Cole Trio influence in Ray's early sound. This is a few years before he became the innovator who took Gospel and R&B sounds, combined them with Pop and created a new genre of music. Ray was the master and fans will enjoy hearing these cuts.

4.0 out of 5 stars Ray's early works influenced by Nat "King" Cole, December 10, 2010

By 

Mark Schlesinger "former Secretary, Columbus ... (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Early Years (Audio CD)

The early works of Ray Charles(avaliable in many collections)were culled from his Swingtime label 78's, mainly recorded in Los Angeles in the late 40's and early 50s. All are heavily influenced by the Nat "King" Cole trio. (Cole's early period in which he played jazz and blues in a trio setting and with the all-star Jazz At The Philharmonic groups. Ray and Nat both would later sell millions with smaltzy orchestrated pop ballads.Best of Nat King Cole Trio: Vocal Classics 42-46Cool Christmas Blues)Another key influence was Charles Brown, another uptown bluesman who played piano.