美国名人 雷·查尔斯1.docx

美国名人雷查尔斯1RayCharles,Part1playstopmutemaxvolume00:00-14:46repeatByPaulThompson2004-7-10(THEME)VOICEONE:ThisisFaithLapidus.VOICETWO:AndthisisDougJohnsonwithPEOPLEINAMERICAinVOASpecialEnglish.Todaywebeginatwo-partreportaboutsingerzsongwriter,andmusicianRayCharles.HisworkwillcontinuetohavealastinginfluenceonAmericanmusic.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:RayCharlesspentalmostsixtyyearsasaprofessionalmusician.Millionsofpeoplearoundtheworldenjoyhisrecordings.IfRayCharlesonlyplayedthepiano,hewouldhavebeenconsideredoneofthebest.Ifhehadonlysunghismusic,hisvoicewouldhavemadehimfamous.Ifhehadonlyplayedjazzmusic,theworldwouldhavelistened.ButRayCharlesdidallthesethingsandmore.Heplayedandsangrock-and-rollandrhythm-and-bluessongs.Hesoldmillionsofcountryandwesternrecords,too.Hisworkbroughttogetherdifferentkindsofmusicanddifferentkindsofmusicfans.HisinfluenceonmuchofAmerica'spopularmusiccannotbetrulymeasured.(MUSIC)VOICEONE(CONTD):ThatwasRayCharlesand"OneMintJulep."Herecordedthatsonginnineteen-si×ty-oneonanalbumcalled"GeniusPlusSoulEqualsJazz."Itisoneofthemanyhundredsofrecordsherecorded.VOICETWO:RayCharlesRobinsonwasborninnineteen-thirtyinAlbany,Georgia.Whenhewassixyearsoldzhebegantosufferfromtheeyediseaseglaucoma.Thediseasemadehimblind.Helefttheworldofsightforeverandturnedtotheworldofsound.Helearnedtolovesounds,especiallymusicofallkinds.RayCharlestaughthimselftoplaytheorgan,alto-saxophonezclarinetandtrumpet.Yettherewasaspecialrelationshipbetweenhimandthepiano.Hereispartofthesong"WorriedMind."Thestyleiscountryandwestern,withaheavyinfluenceofblues.Listentohisworkonthepiano,aninstrumenthetrulyloved.Youcanalmostseehimsmiling.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:RayCharleswasfifteenyearsoldwhenhismotherdied.Withinayear,hehadleftschooltowork.HebeganplayingpianoprofessionallyinAfrican-AmericaneatinganddrinkingplacesinthestateofFlorida.AyearIaterzhemovedtotheoppositecornerofAmerica:Seattle,Washington.WhileinSeattle,hemadefortyrecords.Butnonewasasuccess.VOICETWO:Atthattime,RayCharleswastryingtoplaythepianoandsinglikethefamousperformerNatKingCole.ButhequicklylearnedtherewasonlyoneNatKingCole.Noonewantedtohearacopy,notevenagoodcopy.SoCharlesstartedlookingforhisownmusicalsound.Hebegantoexperiment.Hetriedmixingbluesandjazz.Heusedsomejazzstyleswiththemusicthatlaterwasknownasrock-and-roll.HisexperimentssoonbecamepopularwithmanyblackAmericans.Heplayedatdancesaroundthecountry.Healsosoldsomerecords,mostlytoblackpeople.FewwhiteAmericanshadheardofablindmusiciannamedRayCharles.VOICEONE:Bythemiddleofthenineteen-fifties,hehadhisownband.Itwasoneofthemostpopularblackdancebandsinthecountry.Agroupofwomensangwiththeband.Onenight,Charlesbeganplayingasimplesong.Hetoldthewomentosinginastyleknownascallandresponse.Inthisstyle,theleadsingerasksaquestionorsingssomewords.Theothersingersanswer.ThiskindofsingingwasbroughttoAmericabyblackslavesfromAfrica.Ithasremainedverypopularinblackchurchmusic.Atthedancethatnight,RayCharlesputtogethersimplepianomusic,traditionalcallandresponse,androck-and-roll.TheresultwasarevolutioninAmericanmusic.Soonafter,Rayrecordedthatsong.Itiscalled"What,dISay?"(MUSIC)VOICETWO:"What,dISay?"soldmillionsofcopies.RayCharlesnoIongerjustplayedatsmalldancesforblackpeople.Heperformedinlargetheatersforbigaudiencesofeverycolor.Hehadfoundasoundlikenoother.Hisstyleofmusicwasfilledwithexcitement.Andthosewholistenedsharedinthatexcitement.Bytheendofthenineteen-fiftieszRayCharleshadrecordedmanyhitsongs.Mostofhismusicwasblackrhythm-and-bluesorsoulmusic.YetwhiteAmericanswerelistening,too.Charlesdidnotwanttoplayjustonekindofmusic,evenifitwasextremelypopular.Hebeganexperimentingagain,thistimewithjazz.Onealbum,"BlackCoffee,"isconsideredbyexpertstobeoneofhisverybestjazzrecordings.Itshowsthathispianoworkcanexpressmanydifferentfeelings.Hereisthesong"BlackCoffee"fromthatalbum.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:RayCharlescontinuedtomakerhythm-and-bluesandjazzrecords.Butthatwasstillnotenoughforhim.Hehadalwayslovedcountry-and-westernmusic.Sohedecidedtorecordacountryalbum.Musicindustryexpertssaidhewasmakingamistake.Theytoldhimnottodoit.Theysaidhewouldlosemanyfans.Thefans,theysaidzwouldnotunderstandorlikethiskindofmusic.RayCharlesdidnotlistentotheexperts.Hetookachance.Andhewasright.Thepubliclovedhiscountry-and-westernsongs.Youcanhearsomeofthesecountry-and-westernsongsnextweek,whenWebringyouthesecondpartofourreportaboutRayCharles.(THEME)VOICETWO:ThisprogramwaswrittenbyPaulThompson.ItwasproducedbyLawanDavis.mDougJohnson.VOICEONE:AndmFaithLapidus.JoinusnextweekforthesecondpartofourprogramonRayCharlesonPeopleInAmerica,inVOASpecialEnglish.