Customer Reviews

Ray Charles: Man and Music

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you only reading this book because you want to know exactly how friendly Ray Charles is, you might end up disliking him. This book is a tell it like it is. After reading it, I developed mixed emotions towards Brother Ray, that I didn't have before reading it. However, this book is truly a musician's favorite.

I found this book extremely readable and comprehensive. Charles has lived a huge life, and this book does justice to that life. While some might think it is too insular regarding Charles and his music, that would seem to be a true reflection of his life as he lived it. Many of the minor characters are vividly drawn. Lydon's style is graceful and evocative. Music fans should rush out and buy this book!

Now in a newly updated edition from Routledge, Ray Charles: Man And Music by Michael Lydon ("Rolling Stone" founding editor and an influential music journalist) presents and documents the live and contributions to contemporary American music by Rhythm & Blues singer and musician Ray Charles. Afflicted with blindness at an early age, suffering the loss of his family at fourteen, Ray Charles went on to become one of the best known and best liked American music performers. This outstanding biography doesn't flinch from Charles struggle with heroin addiction or his problematic career at Atlantic Records. Originally published in 1995, this new edition now includes chapters on the last seven years of his life making Ray Charles: Man And Music very strongly recommended reading for anyone who has enjoyed his music and admired his ultimate triumph over adversity.

I am a big fan of Ray Charles Robinson. This felt like a character assination. It is no secret that he was not exactly the best husband. I am sure Charles was a tightwad, and ran a very tight ship. But, the book goes on and on and on about this in every chapter, ad nauseum.

The good parts about the book are the the exaustive research and the insight about the single minded drive Ray had to be the best at everythig he does. I agree with the above review that there was very little insight from Ray about what makes him tick. It seems obvious that Ray did not spend much time with the author. Perhaps read this and 'Brother Ray' to get his side of the Story.

I have never been a Ray Charles fan,and when the movie Ray came
out,I was sadden,that I had missed a great talent.I brought the
DVD version of the movie,and then started reading everything there was about the man. After reading this book,which I enjoyed
I found that I did not like the man. I think that the writer of
the book,told about Ray,being cheap,being a womanizer and the
way he treated people in general.I think that the movie version of his life,glossed and sugar coated his life,his career and his
marriage.I came away feeling very sorry for his wife and his children,as it appears they were truly the victims of Ray Charles
I,for one will not spend any more money on the Ray Charles legend.

I wouldn't say that this is a bad book. It has its good points, but it was missing some of the things that I was more interested in. Like the thoughts of Ray, and the things that went on behind the scenes, through out different occurences in his life. Like when the woman on the side would get pregnant, what type of issues were bought into the Robinson household. The book didn't go into detail with anything. Basically, it just made a statement, "Ray girlfriend has a baby." That's it. That is the debt that was given, in most of the stories. Even during Ray's drug use years, it really didn't give to much insite. I think that the movie gave more detail than this book did, and usually it is the opposite. I think that this book could have eliminated about of 100 of it pages. I found myself, flipping pages trying to get through dead information, like its countless mention of billboard reviews, giving more detail in music charts, than the actual life of "RC." Let me restate that the book does haved it's good points, but it didn't fulfill my need for information.

When I first read this book, I thought it was a well researched biography. Not so. After interviewing several members of Ray Charles' band, including Leroy "Hog" Cooper, David "Fathead" Newman, Ernest Vantrease, Don Peake and Marcus Belgrave, I learned that Michael Lydon did not do sufficient fact checking. The generalities in the book paint the big picture, but the 'devil is in the details' and that's where Lydon goes wrong. After hearing the stories from the musicians, I was disappointed to find that he had not done his homework. Finding out that pieces of the book are not accurate makes me wonder about the rest. I wasn't crazy about "Brother Ray," the cursory memoir of the man who lived such an extraordinary life, but in retrospect, that book is at least closer to the truth, and 'guilt by omission' is a better way to define my disappointment with it.

Michael Lydon has done a magnificient examination and bio of Ray Charles. One comes away from this book realizing at least two important points: One, that the movie "Ray" is highly fictionalized and does a great disservice to Charles in inadequately relating the amazing ability and range of accomplishments of this man. And second, the evidence builds as the bio progresses to suggest by the end that here was one of America's supreme musicians of all time, if not at the top. This is no gloss job about Charles. All in all, a fascinating read by a very good researcher and writer (and musician himself).

Can't say enuff 'bout this. There's only 25 to 28 chapters in this book. Blessed I got it on Alibris. This shows the real side of Ray Charles (Robinson) where he's going thru since after the success of his first penned book w/ writer David Ritz (I can't stand the hatred and dissappointment behind this man, ya'll should give him credit instead of not loving him or have a distaste), just finished reading "Brother Ray" and plus the movie "Ray" among certain albums, documentaries and other taped concerts around, this Man deserves it, no matter if u love him or not, he's still bad. Nobody can't take that away from him perhaps touch him. Blessed that his music, voice and legacy will never be forgotten just b/c I was shocked about the news about his death. RIP to a well-known giant in Music who alot of Creativity, Sense, Class, Respect, Love, Pride & Dignity. Long Lives the Genius of Soul, Father of Soul, Right Reverend, High Priest, Righteous Ray (or Reverend Righteous Ray), Reverend Ray, Brother Ray, etc.

Ray Charles Robinson aka Uncle Ray, thank u for all your courage, your time and your hard work between your music, your life, your legacy, your everything. Thank you for a tremendous legacy that'll live on for years to come (1930-2004).

P.S. Mike Lydon deserves alot of credit in this 1 too.

Anyone who has read Ray Charles own book, "Brother Roy", may find some of the blanks filled in with this biography.

In general, the book is well-written with lots of interesting sidebars. It is rather disappointing, however, for the author to continuously refer to Charles' frugality and military attitude with his employees.

As one of the first inductees in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it would have been interesting to hear from those he influenced and why. Not one of the best biographies I have read..but, then again...not one of the worst. If you like Ray Charles, you will find this interesting, but not overwhelminly informative.