Ray Charles: Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Ray Charles: Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Album #20 - April 1962

Episode date - May 1, 2024

The Top 500 of The Top 40
    0:00
    0:00

    “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music” was a perfect album for its time, with Ray Charles adding his unique touch to songs that were considered outside the purview of R&B performers, and he did this just as Country-Western music experienced growing pains.

    As the ‘60s began, ‘Country-Western” music was moving away from the usual trappings of its past, taking on an air of sophistication through producers like Chet Atkins, Billy Sherill and Owen Bradley who preferred orchestration to banjoes and fiddles. As a Black man, Charles kicked down a few doors of his own, but only figuratively, because he never needed to step foot in Nashville, recording the entirety of this album in New York City and Hollywood, hardly bastions of Country music culture.

    What makes things interesting is that Charles adopted the ‘Countrypolitan’ aspect of the Nashville sound almost accidentally, applying his orchestrated R&B stylings to older songs and transforming them into undeniably perfect updates just as the Civil Rights Movement started to gain real momentum.

    Charles already proved himself capable of juggling Blues, Jazz, and Gospel music without breaking a sweat, and he already flirted with reworking Country music when he covered Hank Snow’s “I’m Moving On”. He could do anything and yet still sound exactly like himself. “Modern Sounds in Country-Western Music” serves as a distinct signpost where ‘Country’ music soared in popularity on the National charts due primarily to Charles, and its social impact almost outstripped its enormous musical value.

    Featured tracks:

    Bye Bye Love

    You Don't Know Me

    Half as Much

    I Love You So Much It Hurts

    Just A Little Lovin' (Will Go a Long Way)

    Born to Lose

    Worried Mind

    It Makes No Difference Now

    You Win Again

    Careless Love

    I Can't Stop Lovin' You

    Hey, Good Lookin'

    April 1962 - Billboard Charted #1

    Related Shows

    Alice Cooper - Killer

    Alice Cooper: Killer

    Album #183 - November 1971

      0:00
      0:00
      Elton John - Madman Across The Water

      Elton John - Madman Across The Water

      Album #182- November 1971

        0:00
        0:00
        Faces - A Nod Is as Good as a Wink... to a Blind Horse

        Faces - A Nod Is as Good as a Wink... to a Blind Horse

        Album #181- November 1971

          0:00
          0:00
          Nilsson Schmilsson

          Nilsson: Nilsson Schmilsson

          Album #180 - November 1971

            0:00
            0:00
            Led Zeppelin IV

            Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV

            Album #179 - November 1971

              0:00
              0:00
              Sly and The Family Stone - There's A Riot Going On

              Sly and The Family Stone - There's A Riot Going On

              Album #178 - November 1971

                0:00
                0:00
                The Grateful Dead - Skull and Roses

                The Grateful Dead: Skull and Roses - Part 2

                Album #177 - October 1971

                  0:00
                  0:00
                  The Grateful Dead - Skull and Roses

                  The Grateful Dead: Skull and Roses - Part 1

                  Album #177 - October 1971

                    0:00
                    0:00
                    Cat Stevens - teaser and the Firecat

                    Cat Stevens: Teaser and the Firecat

                    Album #176 - October 1971

                      0:00
                      0:00
                      T. Rex: Electric Warrior

                      T. Rex: Electric Warrior

                      Album #175 - September 1971

                        0:00
                        0:00
                        John Lennon: Imagine

                        John Lennon: Imagine

                        Album #174 - September 1971

                          0:00
                          0:00
                          The Who - Who's Next

                          The Who: Who's Next

                          Album # 173 - August 1971

                            0:00
                            0:00