Ray Charles - What'd I Say [Americana] 4k Remastered 1

Released in 1959 as a single divided into two parts, the composition was improvised one evening late in 1958 when Ray Charles had played his entire set list at a show and still had time left. The response was so enthusiastic, the song broke Ray Charles into mainstream pop music and itself sparked a new subgenre putting together all the elements that Mr. Charles had been creating since he recorded "I Got a Woman" in 1954. The gospel and rhumba influences made it not only widely popular but controversial. It earned Ray Charles his first gold record and has been one of the most influential songs in R&B and rock and roll history. For the rest of his career, Ray Charles closed every concert with the song. It was added to the National Recording Registry in 2002 and appeared in the 2003 and 2021 versions of Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list: at number 10 in 2003.

[orinolsgaard]

Saw him perform at college in 1962. Crowd gave Ray non-stop ovations.

[EugeneLorey]

I don't think anything could possibly be cooler

[irawesley]

Ray Charles was a great American entertainer. In fact, he was number one at the Chicago regal theater on South Park Chicago.

[electronicsandmusic]

Love how he’s playing a grand and it sounds like a Wurlitzer.