Nov 14th in Pop History

On this day, November 14th, in…

• 1960 - Ray Charles moved to # 1 for the first time with his ninth hit: Georgia On My Mind 

Georgia On My Mind was written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell in 1930. The song was a # 10 hit for a jazz saxophone player named Frankie Trumbauer in 1931. Many artists have recorded it over the years, including Louis Armstrong, James Brown (a Georgia native), Django Reinhardt, and Willie Nelson. Ray Charles' version is by far the most famous.

Charles decided to record this song after his driver suggested it, since Ray kept singing it while riding in the car. Ray was born in Albany, Georgia. His family moved to Florida when he was still a baby. 

The record was recorded quickly in New York City - it took only four takes to complete (compared to Charles' usual 10-12 takes). It went on to win Grammy awards for Best Male Vocal Recording and Best Pop Song Performance. The album also won for Best Male Vocal Performance Album, and another song on the album, Let the Good Times Roll won for Best R&B Performance, giving Charles a total of four Grammys in 1960.

This was the first of three # 1 singles on the US Hot 100 for Ray Charles. Hit the Road, Jack and I Can't Stop Loving You are his others. 

The movie Ray gives the impression that Ray Charles was banned from singing in Georgia, which isn’t actually true. He wasn’t ever banned from anything. And the protest portrayed in the movie never even occurred. The movie made that up. What really happened was that in 1961, Ray broke a contract to perform at a segregated concert hall in Augusta, Georgia, which was his legitimate prerogative (because it was segregated!) (I would have done the same thing if I had been him). He was however then sued by that venue, but he still continued to perform around the state for the rest of his life. 

Then, on April 24, 1979, this became the official state song of Georgia. At the time, the state formally apologized to Ray for what had happened years earlier at that concert venue. Ray Charles graciously accepted the apology, and chose to perform the song at the ceremony for the new state song, where it was decreed: 

The song Georgia on My Mind, with lyrics by Mr. Stuart Gorrell and music by Mr. Hoagy Carmichael, has an enduring quality that has made it one of the best loved songs in America for many years. Although Georgia on My Mind describes a Georgian's love for his state, its beautiful melody and lyrics have given the song a worldwide appeal.

Georgia on My Mind has been recorded by many outstanding artists, but the rendition by Mr. Ray Charles, a native Georgian, which was first recorded in 1958, has been greatly enjoyed by music lovers throughout the world.

It is appropriate that the official State song should be a beautiful song that has wide appeal throughout the country, and Georgia on My Mind is an outstanding example of these qualities.

Willie Nelson sang this at Charles' funeral in 2004. Charles won eight awards at the 2005 Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Album of the Year (for Genius Loves Company). He was honored throughout the show; Alicia Keys and Jamie Foxx performed this as part of the tribute. Foxx had recently portrayed Charles in the movie Ray.

Ray Charles, a giant in the history of pop music, and yet a fairly humble man, will be  greatly missed. He will be “on our minds” each time we enjoy the great musical legacy he left behind. 

Georgia On My Mind

Enjoy this great video of Ray Charles performing Georgia On My Mind live: 

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Also, on this day, November 14th, in…

• 1960 - It's Now Or Never by Elvis Presley became the fastest-selling single ever at the time, moving 780,000 copies in a week 

• 1964 - The Supremes reigned on the R&B chart for a third week with their first big hit Baby Love

• 1967 - Pink Floyd opened for the Jimi Hendrix Experience on a tour of the U.K., with the first show on this day at the famous Royal Albert Hall in London 

• 1990 - Milli Vanilli producer Frank Farian admits to reporters that Fabrice Morvan and Rob Pilatus never sang a note on the Milli Vanilli album. The duo eventually returned their Best New Artist Grammy