![]() ![]() Ray and I are very good friends and there’s no one any better, as far as I am concerned, at what we do. ![]() “A lot of folks want to pay tribute to Ray Charles, and I’m glad a lot of us are getting the opportunity to do that. It’s gut-wrenchingly apparent that these two legends realize the weight of their words and whereas it was once one of Sinatra’s finest recorded moments, it’s now one of Willie and Ray’s. What a joy to hear Willie’s vintage vocals ahead of the soaring strings and the orchestra embellishment, before Ray chimes in with a palpably heartfelt delivery. Victor Vanacore offers up some stellar new charts. Recorded during two days of orchestral sessions, “It Was A Very Good Year” suitably opens with a huge string intro in line with Sinatra’s Reprise years and its host of famous arrangers. Willie and Ray are the best of friends and on this riveting rendition of the standard, they demonstrate that they share a like-minded approach and complementary styles. Getting to record with Ray has been a lifelong dream and being part of this project has a been one of the proudest and most moving moments in my life.” - Bonnie Raitt ‘Do I Ever Cross Your Mind’ was one of my favorites from his Country/Western albums, and I think singing it as a duet makes it even more powerful. A family friend gave me a box of all his albums when I was about 12 and he’s been a huge influence on my music. “I’ve been a devoted fan of Ray’s since I first heard him as a kid. This is a flawless collaboration, and true to the original, which can be found on Charles’ massive Complete Country & Western Recordings 1959-1986 box set. Together on this country/blues track they prove that they are decidedly “kindred spirits.” “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?” has a very bluesy feel, playing to their strengths, with their vocals a perfect complement, whether solo or harmonizing, with Bonnie playing some particularly wicked slide guitar as well. So, it was a very emotional experience.” - Elton JohnĬhrysalis Music/Dorsey Music & EMI April Music (ASCAP)īoth Ray and Bonnie Raitt are big fans of each other’s music and this session was their first-ever meeting. He has one of the greatest voices of all time. It’s so incredibly impressive to be with someone to whom music had meant so much. It was amazing to sit in the studio and sing with him. That blew me away that Ray Charles was on stage singing one of my songs. For this recording, we did one of my songs, ‘Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word’, which he had sung at a concert last year. ![]() That grin, that voice, his music is so joyous. “When people mention Ray Charles, i just smile. The Elton John/Bernie Taupin hit originally comes from the 1976 album Blue Moves, with particularly personal lyrical input from John. Considering the fine backing band, a full string section and the pop/rock flair of John, it is indeed intense. As the last session of the project, it turned out to be a moving experience for all involved and it shows in the work of these two musical icons. With a striking chart from Victor Vanacore and lush production, this song begins with a dramatic string intro before sliding into a smoldering delivery from the duo. (ASCAP)Īfter some scrambling to synchronize schedules, the proposed duet with Elton John became a “go”. Happenstance Limited (ASCAP) & Rouge Booze, Inc. I couldn’t believe that I got to sing with him. He was as big an influence on me as you can get. There’s nothing I could say to do him justice. He could sing any song, and it sounds like Ray Charles and it sounds amazing. “I just love everything about Ray Charles. The song was originally found on the 1967 Charles album, Listen. It’s a rich synthesis where at one point Norah’s soaring voice is seamlessly met by Ray’s almost giving the impression that she has simply dropped her vocals to a lower register, but actually it’s Ray’s voice picking up where the phrase left off. Norah lists Ray as an early influence on her work (her mother often played his records), and by turns, Ray was suitably impressed by Jones’ talents. ![]() Norah plays piano and Ray lays down some keyboard work himself in this elegant song that features beautiful harmonizing. This is a notable, cross-generational duet of sorts with Ray and Norah proving to be perfectly suited to each other. ![]()
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