Ray Charles

Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music 1 & 2 Ray Charles

The groundbreaking albums, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vols. 1 & 2 are being reissued on CD on November 16th, 2018, also becoming available for the first time on streaming platforms. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vol. 1 will be re-released on vinyl for the first time since 2012, with a vinyl pressing of Vol. 2 coming in 2019.

Coinciding with the release, Ray will be honored by the Grand Ole Opry with An Opry Salute to Ray Charles, with performances celebrating the iconic Sounds tracks, which will air on PBS in November. In addition, Charles will be inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame on October 25th, a program in which he performed multiple times.

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Vol.1 became an instant classic when it was first released in 1962. The album's integration of soul and country music bent racial barriers in popular music, amid the height of the Civil Rights Movement. In the process of recording the album, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to exercise complete artistic control over his own recording career. The album spawned four chart topping singles, Born to Lose", "Careless Love", "You Don't Know Me", and "I Can't Stop Loving You", the latter (and the album itself) being RIAA-certified Gold in only a month.

The success led to the recording of Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vol. 2. Focusing more on balladry, one side featured performances by the Ray Charles Big Band with the Raelettes, and the other with a string section and the Jack Halloran Singers. Like its predecessor, it was released to both critical and commercial acclaim. Both albums have been regarded by many critics as Ray Charles's best studio albums, with Vol. 1 being inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame for historical significance.

PROMOTION:

• A PBS television special celebrating Rays bold and successful foray into Country music, An Opry Salute to Ray Charles, has already been confirmed to air in over 100+ markets (with more coming in daily) in Nov & Dec. Grand Ole Opry.
• Two of the most important recordings in Ray Charles legendary career
• Unavailable in any format since 2012, including its first appearance on any streaming platforms
• Ray Charles will be recognized by ACL Honors at the end of the year
• Vol. 1 spent 14 weeks at #1 in 1962, RIAA Certified Gold
• Inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, as was "I Can't Stop Loving You" in 2001 by The Recording Academy as a recording of "historical significance"

Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, Vols. 1 & 2