Ray Charles

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ray-charles

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Ray Charles born?September 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia, USA
2. When did Ray Charles die?June 10, 2004 (age 73)
3. Who was Ray Charles?Ray Charles was a musical genius from Albany, Georgia, who blended blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel to create soul music. He was known as "The Genius" and helped break down musical and racial barriers.
4. How did Ray Charles become blind?He lost his sight around the age of seven, likely because of glaucoma. Even after becoming blind, he learned Braille and mastered instruments like piano and saxophone.

Glaucoma: A medical condition that can damage the optic nerve and lead to blindness.
Rhythm and Blues (R&B): A genre of popular music that originated in African American communities in the 1940s.
Crossover Appeal: The ability of an artist or work to gain popularity across different demographic groups or genres.