ray charles teachers guide

TEACHER’S GUIDE

222 FIFTH AVENUE SOUTH

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37203

615.416.2001

COUNTRYMUSICHALLOFFAME.COM

The education programs at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum are made possible, in part, by grants from the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and by an agreement between the Tennessee Arts Commission and National Endowment for the Arts.

This Teacher’s Guide was funded in part by a Tennessee Arts Commission Teacher Training Grant.

Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation®, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964.

This guide contains materials designed to help teachers prepare students for an

in-depth tour of the exhibit I Can’t Stop Loving You: Ray Charles and Country

Music, Sponsored by SunTrust. It also addresses specific curriculum objectives in

language arts, music, and social studies for students in grades 3-12. All curricular

connections are based on the Tennessee state curriculum standards, and the

activities can be used as interdisciplinary teaching tools. Teacher’s Notes are

included in some of the lessons that provide special instructions and suggestions

for ways teachers can adapt lessons to their particular classes.

Ray ChaRles and CountRy MusiC

Teacher’s Guide

I Can’t Stop Loving You: Ray Charles and Country Music,

Sponsored by SunTrust, presented at the invitation of

Ray Charles Enterprises, provides an overview of

Charles’s remarkable career with a central focus on

his country music influences and his contributions

to its growth and popularity. From the earliest

known photograph of Charles through his final

televised performance, the media-rich exhibit

honors Charles as “one of the most revered and

recognized musicians in the world.”

This exhibit includes artifacts, instruments, song

manuscripts, costumes, photographs, computer

interactives, recorded sound, and moving images

to tell a story about an impoverished blind child

who grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry

and became known as the “genius of soul.”

He redefined the cultural value of country music

by performing dozens of country standards and

regularly appearing alongside country music stars

in the recording studio and on national television.

AbouT The exhIbIT

To learn more about this exhibit and the life and career of Ray Charles, visit www.countrymusichalloffame.com and www.raycharles.com.

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Photograph by Ron Keith

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I Can’t Stop Loving You: Ray Charles and Country Music Sponsored by Suntrust

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What do you Know about Ray Charles?

Tennessee sTaTe CurriCulum sTandards:Language Arts

�.0 The student will develop the structural and creative

skills of the writing process necessary to produce written

language that can be read, presented to, and interpreted

by various audiences. Learning expectations: 2.02 (3-

5), 2.09 (3-5), 2.12 (6-8); High School Writing (I, II, III, IV)

�.0 The student will use Standard English conventions

and proper spelling as appropriate to speaking and

writing. Learning expectations: 3.01 (3-8), 3.02 (3-8),

3.03 (3-8), 3.04 (3-8)

high School Speaking and ListeningThe student will express ideas clearly and effectively

in a variety of oral contexts and apply active listening

skills in the analysis and evaluation of spoken ideas.

(I, II, III, IV)

Social StudiesCulture �.0 Culture encompasses similarities and

differences among people, including their beliefs,

knowledge, changes, values, and traditions. Students

will explore these elements of society to develop an

appreciation and respect for the variety of human

cultures. Learning expectations: 1.01 (6-8), 1.02 (K-5),

1.03 (K-5), 1.04 (6,7)

objective: Students will create a set of statements they believe about Ray Charles as well as a set of statements determining what they would like to learn about Charles and then evaluate these statements by reflecting on their museum visit.

Prep Time: NoneMaterials: Paper, Pencil

�. The following activity creates materials that will be needed for the post-visit activity What Did You Learn About Ray Charles? found on page �6.

Before visiting the Ray Charles exhibit, create a KWL chart with your class. This is a chart with three sections or columns, one for each letter K, W, and L. The K section is what we already KNOW about Ray Charles. The list might include items such as: he was a good singer or he played piano or he was blind. The W section is what we WANT to learn about Ray Charles. Answers might include: where he grew up, how old he was when he went blind, etc.

The L represents what we LEARNED about Ray. This section will be completed after the museum visit. Once this chart is created, save it for review and use in the post-visit activity at the end of this teacher’s kit.

TeACheR’S NoTe:

You may choose to make this an individual activity by asking students to create their own KWL charts. They could also take these charts and fill them in during their visit to the exhibit.

Raised in the Country: Georgia on My Mind





by various audiences. Learning expectations: 2.02 (3-5),

2.09 (3-5), 2.12 (6-8); High School Writing (I, II, III, IV)




3.03 (3-8), 3.04 (3-8)




(I, II, III, IV)

Social Studies

Culture �.0 Culture encompasses similarities and






1.03 (K-5), 1.04 (6,7)

Geography �.0 Geography enables the students

to see, understand, and appreciate the web

of relationships between people, places, and

environments. Students will use the knowledge, skills,

and understanding of concepts within the six essential

elements of geography: world in spatial terms, places

and regions, physical systems, human systems,

environment and society, and the uses of geography.

Learning expectations: 3.01 (K-5, 6, 7, 8)

high School Post WWII era

Culture �.� Identify examples of how language,

literature, the arts, architecture, traditions, beliefs,

values, or behaviors contribute to the development and

transmission of culture.

Music

6.0 Students will listen to, analyze, and describe music.

Learning expectations: 6.2 (3, 6-8, 9-12), 6.3 (4, 5)

7.0 Students will evaluate music and music

performances. Learning expectations: 7.1 (4,5, 6-8,

9-12)

9.0 Students will understand music in relation to history

and culture. Learning expectations: 9.1 (4), 9.2 (3,5)

objective: Students will examine the connection of geography to culture by discussing how Ray Charles was exposed to various types of music where he grew up. Students will apply this idea to their own lives by considering the music they are exposed to within their own culture.

Prep Time: 15 minutes to copy activity sheet and set up CD player and CD

Materials: Activity sheet for Raised in the Country, CD player, lesson kit CD, pencils

Key Vocabulary: Culture

�. use the following questions for class discussion:

• What is culture? Allow students to share their ideas about this word before giving them the following definition or asking them to look it up in the dictionary.

Culture:

The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought typical of a population or community at a given time (Webster’s II).

• What are the things that define a culture? Possible answers: food, language, dialect, religion, beliefs

• Do you think the neighborhood or community where you live has a distinct culture? Explain.

• Does the music to which a person listens reflect his or her culture? (Yes) How?

Music, as other art forms, reflects the lives of people within a particular community, population, or group.

• Is the music a person hears growing up affected by where that person lives? (Yes) Why or why not?

Possible answer: A person growing up in New Orleans, might hear more jazz than a person growing up in a small community in Kentucky where bluegrass is more prevalent. Or a person in Texas might hear more Spanish language songs on the radio than someone growing up in Wisconsin.

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Ray’s Fender Rhodes Suitcase 88 Electric Piano

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• What do you think it might be like to grow up as Ray Charles did in the rural South in the 1930s and 1940s? What kind of music would he have heard?

Be sure to remind them that Ray Charles would not have had a television, computer, or even a record player in his home. Most of the music he heard would have been live music or music from a radio or jukebox.

�. Share the following with students:

You may wish to reference a map of the United States to point out where Charles was born and grew up.

Ray Charles was born Ray Charles Robinson in Albany, Georgia, on September 23, 1930. His mother, Retha Robinson, raised him in the small rural town of Greenville, Florida. Ray had access to a piano and a jukebox, which he considered the two most important items affecting his young life. These were made available to him by Wylie Pitman, who owned a general store and rooming house in Greenville. “Mr. Pit,” as Charles called him, allowed Ray to play his piano anytime, and he taught Ray how to play in the boogie-woogie style. Ray cited Mr. Pit as his greatest musical influence.

At age five, Ray Charles witnessed the accidental drowning death of his younger brother, and by age six he was completely blind due to what would later be diagnosed as juvenile glaucoma. Charles attended the Florida School for the

Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine before leaving at age fifteen after the death of his mother. It was then that he began pursuing music as a career in Jacksonville, Florida.

Growing up in the South, Ray Charles absorbed many musical influences. He heard gospel singing at church, down-home blues on the jukebox, and classical music at school. On the radio, he encountered jazz, big-band, and hillbilly tunes. He especially enjoyed the cool piano blues of Nat “King” Cole. All of these different styles would later find their way into Ray’s own music. Ray commented on his musical influences saying, “My music had roots which I’d dug up from my own childhood, musical roots buried in the darkest soil.” As for the culture in which Ray grew up, he said this: “I’m a country boy. And, man, I mean the real backwoods! All I ever saw—and I’m talking literally—was the country.” Charles grew up hearing the Grand Ole Opry broadcast on radio from Nashville, Tennessee, and developed an appreciation for country music at an early age. In fact, one of Ray’s most well-known albums, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, helped bring country songs and songwriters to new audiences. Charles said, “I just wanted to try my hand at hillbilly music. After all, the Grand Ole Opry had been performing inside my head since I was a kid in the country.”

�. Distribute the activity sheet for Raised in the Country, which can be copied from this booklet. Then, share the following with students:

TeACheR’S NoTe:

An adaptation can be made to this activity by using a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two songs and answer these questions.

Compare Ray Charles’s 1964 cover version of “Move It on Over” to the original 1947 recording by Grand Ole Opry star and Country Music Hall of Fame® member Hank Williams. Hank wrote the song, but how did Ray make it his own?

�. Play “Move It on over” by hank Williams (CD track #�) and “Move It on over” by Ray Charles (CD track #�).

Use the following as discussion questions:

1. What instruments do you hear in each version?

2. How would you describe the voices or style of singing in each song?

3. How would you describe the style of music of each song?

4. Do you like this song? Why or why not?

5. Do you like one version of the song better than the other? If yes, which one? Explain.

6. What do you think Ray might have liked about the original version of this song that would make him want to record his own version?

7. How do you think the culture in which Ray grew up might have influenced his version of this song?


Just as Ray Charles was shaped by the music, food, and dialect of his surroundings, we too are influenced by the culture in which we live. Think about your own exposure to music, especially music you might not choose yourself, and write a paragraph addressing the following questions:

• What kind of music do I hear that I don’t choose for myself?

• Where do I hear this music?

• Who is choosing to play or perform this music? My parents, my grandparents, my friends, my music teacher?

• Would the music I hear around me be different if I lived in another part of the country or another part of the world? How?

TeACheR’S NoTe:

You may wish to take this activity further by asking students the following question: Have the Internet and cable television made music less regional?

6. encourage students to share their

writings with the class.

TeACheR’S NoTe:

You can learn more about Hank Williams by visiting http://countrymusichalloffame.com/site/explore-inductees-list.aspx and selecting his name from the drop-down menu.

Charles’s first band, the McSon Trio (Ray Charles, piano; Gossie McKee, guitar; and Milt Garrett, bass) at a Seattle radio station, 1948.

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Teacher’s Guide

PRe-Visit lessonsRAISeD IN The CouNTRY: GeoRGIA oN MY MIND

acTiviTy sheeT

Name _______________________________________________ Class _______________________________

For questions 1-3, circle the choices you think best answer the question as you listen to the recordings played by

your teacher. You may circle more than one answer.

Question Hank Williams Version Ray Charles Version

1. What instruments do Banjo Fiddle Saxophone Banjo Violin Saxophone you hear in each version? Bass Guitar Steel Guitar Bass Guitar Steel Guitar Drums Piano Trombone Drums Piano Trombone Other: Other:

2. How would you Easy Loud Smooth Easy Loud Smooth describe the vocals Flowing Pounding Soft Flowing Pounding Soft in each song? Hard Rough Twangy Hard Rough Twangy Other: Other:

3. How would you Swing Pop R&B Swing Pop R&B describe the style of Blues Rock Jazz Blues Rock Jazz music of each song? Country Country Other: Other:

For questions 4-7, write your answer using complete sentences.


5. Do you like one version of the song better than the other? If yes, which one? Explain.

6. What do you think Ray Charles might have liked about the original version of this song that would

make him want to record his own version?

7. How do you think the culture in which Charles grew up might have influenced his version of this song?

independence: learning Braille





(I, II, III, IV)

Mathematics

Algebra �.0 The student will understand and

generalize patterns as they represent and analyze

quantitative relationships and change in a variety of

contexts and problems using graphs, tables, and

equations. Learning expectations: 2.1 (K-3)

Social Studies

Culture �.0 Culture encompasses similarities and





cultures. Learning expectations: 1.03 (K-5)

high School Post WWII era

Culture �.� Identify examples of how language,


values, or behaviors contribute to the development

and transmission of culture.

high School Contemporary World

Culture �.� Identify instances in which language, art,

music, belief systems, and other cultural elements

facilitate understanding or create misunderstanding.

Two separate Braille activities are listed below. This introductory information is appropriate whether you choose to do one or both activities. Please share this information with students.

Ray Charles went blind when he was six years old. When he was seven, he began learning to read and write in Braille at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, which he attended for eight years. This allowed him to become an avid reader, to write music, and to communicate in general throughout his life. Ray Charles said, “If you want to do something, you can make yourself about as independent as you want to be, but you must have the will. It doesn’t make a difference if you’re blind or not.”

He did not allow his blindness to stop him from traveling and living his life to the fullest. Ray Charles did not use a cane with a white tip or a guide dog as many people who are blind do. He preferred to have guided assistance. This means that he would have a sighted person guide him around by walking in front of him and allowing him to hold their arm near the elbow.

Ray also used some specialized devices and materials to assist in his daily life as well as to help him enjoy hobbies and interests. When you visit the museum, you will look at objects such as magazines printed in Braille and a talking chess set.

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Ray’s talking chess set.

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lesson oneobjective: Students will sort and find particular objects that they cannot see to understand the importance of hands and touch to people who are blind.Prep Time: 20 minutes to select objects and place them in bags or boxesMaterials: Cloth bags or cardboard boxes (with a lid and a hole large enough for students to reach in and feel objects), collection of ordinary objects inside of each bag/box, Braille alphabet card (provided with this kit)

�. Share the following with students.

An acute sense of touch is integral to a person who is blind. Because they cannot see, they must be able to discriminate between objects by feeling their characteristics rather than seeing them. Children who are blind are taught at a very young age to sort objects by feeling them.This becomes even more important when learning Braille, as the dots or bumps are tiny and close together.

�. Divide students into pairs, and give each pair a bag/box of objects.

You may need to have student pairs take turns if you do not have enough bags/boxes for each pair. One student will arrange the objects in the bag or box and ask the other student to find a particular object or to find all the objects of a particular shape, such as square or circular, in the bag or box. The partners should then switch roles.

�. encourage students to share with the class their experiences in doing this activity.

You may use the following questions to encourage a class discussion:

• Was it difficult to find the specific object? Why?

• Was it more or less difficult to identify all the objects of a particular shape without being able to see them? Why? What other activities do you do that would be difficult to do without being able to see?

�. Give each student the braille alphabet card.

Instruct them to examine it with their eyes closed, using their sense of touch. Then ask students to discuss the following questions:

• Can you identify the patterns of the bumps without looking?

• Is it difficult to do this? Why or why not?

lesson two

objective: Students will examine the Braille alphabet and numbers to write their names and birthdays in Braille and to gain an understanding of the adaptations Ray Charles learned in order to live his life fully and independently.

Prep Time: 15 minutes to copy worksheetsMaterials: The Braille Trail: An Activity Book (AFB Press, provided with this kit), copies of worksheets on pages 3, 5, 18, and 19 of The Braille Trail for each student, pencilsKey Vocabulary: Braille

�. Ask students to discuss what they know about braille before sharing the following definition and information with them.

braille:

According to Webster’s Dictionary, Braille is a system of writing and printing for the blind, in which varied arrangements of raised dots representing letters and numerals are identified by touch.

This system was developed by Louis Braille.

TeACheR’S NoTe:

You may wish to share Louis Braille’s biography, found on page 26 of The Braille Trail.

Braille is not a language, it is another way to read and write English or any other language. Every character in the Braille code is based on an arrangement of one to six raised dots. Each dot has a numbered position in the Braille cell. These characters make up the letters of the alphabet, punctuation marks, numbers, and everything else you can do in print (page 2, The Braille Trail: An Activity Book). Page 5 includes the Braille alphabet.

�. Distribute handout of The braille Trail, pages � and �.

Guide students in examining the “cell” system of Braille that includes six dots. Look at the pattern on the ladybug. Using the cells provided on handouts of pages 18 and 19, ask students to “bubble in” the letters of their names as well as writing a short note to a friend.

�. You may choose to take this lesson further by doing the following activities with your students:

1. Use any other activities from The Braille Trail: An Activity Book that you think would be useful for your class.

2. Purchase or rent a Braille writer for your classroom so that students can actually write in Braille.

3. Contact the organizations below for more information and resources. Some may be able to send a representative to your classroom to talk about how to interact appropriately with a person who is blind or to explain different types of visual impairments and what causes them.

4. Encourage your students to visit the Web sites provided below.

5. Encourage your students to learn more about the lives and contributions of Helen Keller and Louis Braille. There are many good books for children about them, and each has a biography in The Braille Trail: An Activity Book on pages 26 through 28.

6. Research other famous blind people.

7. Take a field trip to the American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. and Marie and Eugene Callahan Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, Kentucky.

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Ray’s Musical style










3.03 (3-8), 3.04 (3-8)




(I, II, III, IV)







1.03 (K-5), 1.04 (6,7)

high School Post WWII eraCulture �.� Identify examples of how language,




high School Contemporary WorldCulture�.� Identify instances in which language, art, music,

belief systems, and other cultural elements facilitate

understanding or create misunderstanding.

Music�.0 Students will sing, alone and with others, a varied

repertoire of music. Learning expectations: 1.1 (4,5) 1.2

(9-12)

�.0 Students will improvise melodies, variations, and

accompaniments. Learning expectations: 3.1 (5), 3.2

(3, 5, 6-8, 9-12)

�.0 Students will compose and arrange music within

specified guidelines. Learning expectations: 4.2 (4)

6.0 Students will listen to, analyze, and describe music.



performances. Learning expectations: 7.1 (4, 5, 6-8,

9-12)

9.0 Students will understand music in relation to history

and culture. Learning expectations: 9.1 (4), 9.2 (3,5)

Visual Art�.0 Students will understand and apply media,

techniques, and processes. Learning expectations: 1.1

(K, 1, 2, 3-4, 5, 6-8, 9-12), 1.2 (K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8, 9-12),

1.3 (1-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12) 1.4 (4-5)

�.0 Students will choose and evaluate a range of subject

matter, symbols, and ideas. Learning expectations: 3.1

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 3.2 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 3.3 (1)

6.0 Students will make connections between visual

arts and other disciplines. Learning expectations: 6.1

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 6.2 (3, 4, 5)

objective: Students will compare and contrast a Ray Charles version of a country song with its original version in order to examine Charles as an interpreter of music.

Prep Time: 15 minutes to copy activity sheet and set up CD player and CD

Materials: Activity sheet for Ray’s Country, CD player, lesson kit CD, pencils

Key Vocabulary: Interpretation


In 1962, Ray Charles released the album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, which contained his interpretations of some popular country music songs. While Charles had recorded a country song in the past and had played briefly with a country band as a teenager, this was the first time he created an album of country songs. Although executives at his record label did not think the album would be successful, it quickly sold over a million copies. Its biggest hit song, “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” originally written and performed by Don Gibson, reached the #1 position on both the R&B and the pop music charts. It also won the Grammy for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording and was nominated for Record of the Year.

American Council of the blind

1155 15th Street, NW, Suite 1004,Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081, (800) 424-8666 FAX: (202) 467-5085 www.acb.org

American Foundation for the blind

11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300New York, NY 10001(212) 502-7600www.afb.org

American Printing house for the blind, Inc. & Marie and eugene Callahan Museum of the American Printing house for the blind

1839 Frankfort AvenueLouisville, KY 40206(800) 223-1839www.aph.org

Metro Nashville Public SchoolsVision Program

(615) 884-4375

National Federation of the blindTennessee Affiliate:

Mr. Michael Seay, President1226 Goodman Circle WestMemphis, TN 38111-6524Phone: (901) 452-6596Email: [email protected]

Tennessee School for the blind

115 Stewarts Ferry PikeNashville, TN 37214Phone: (615) 231-7300www.tsb.k12tn.net

�|Contact the following organizations for resources and to learn more:

Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, Florida, as it might have looked when Ray Charles was a student there.

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6. Distribute the activity sheet for Ray’s Country, which can be copied from this booklet. Then share the following with students:

Compare Ray Charles’s version of “I Can’t Stop Loving You” with the original by Country Music Hall of Fame® member Don Gibson. Charles’s version was recorded in 1962; the original was made in 1957.

TeACheR’S NoTe:

You can learn more about Don Gibson by visiting www.countrymusichalloffame.com/site/explore- inductees- list.aspx and selecting his name from the drop-down menu.

Use your activity sheet to record your responses to the questions we will discuss while you listen to the songs.

7. Play “I Can’t Stop Loving You” by Don Gibson (CD track # �) and “I Can’t Stop Loving You” by Ray Charles (CD track # �).

Use the following questions for class discussion.

TeACheR’S NoTe:

An adaptation can be made to this activity by using a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two songs and answer these questions:

1. What instruments do you hear in each version?

2. How would you describe the vocals in each song?

3. How would you describe the style of music of each song?

4. How is the background singing different?

5. What do you notice about the number of instruments and singers on each recording?


7. Do you like one version of the song better than the other? If yes, which one?

8. What does Ray Charles do with the song that makes it his own distinctive style?

9. Do you think Ray Charles’s version of the song is still country? Why or why not?

TeACheR’S NoTe:

An adaptation can be made to use this as an art activity by asking students to draw how they feel when they hear each version of these songs.

�. Ask students the following questions: “ Do you think Ray Charles was a successful interpreter of music? Why or why not?”

�. Although he composed many of his early hits, Charles is considered to be an interpreter of music.

Ask students what they think “interpretation of music” means. Allow them to share their thoughts before asking them to look it up in the dictionary or share the following.

The primary definition in most dictionaries will reference the meaning of an artistic work. Encourage students to think about / look up alternate definitions.

Interpretation

A performer’s distinctive personal version of a song, dance, piece of music, or role; a rendering (www.dictionary.com) or representation in performance, delivery, or criticism of the thought and mood in a work of art or its producer esp. as penetrated by the personality of the performer (Webster’s III).

�. Divide students into groups of five and share the following:

Now each of you will have the opportunity to “interpret” a song. In your group, decide in what style you would like to sing the song “Happy Birthday.” You may choose any style you wish, such as rock & roll, rap, country, jazz, etc. Practice the song a few times in the style you’ve chosen to perform for your classmates.

�. Allow students time to practice their song and then take turns having each group present their “interpretation” of “happy birthday.”

TeACheR’S NoTe:

In a music classroom, the teacher might choose to play the song in different styles and have the entire class sing together various interpretations.

Use the following questions for class discussion:

• Was it fun to create your interpretation of the song?

• Was it difficult?

• Does interpreting the song differently make it a different song?

• Why would a person want to interpret something in their own way?

• How would you describe the style of your song? How would you describe another classmate’s song?


Ray Charles wrote many of his early hits, including “I’ve Got a Woman” and “What’d I Say,” but beginning in the 1960s, he primarily added his own style to songs written and performed by others. Ray said this about choosing and performing songs: “See, I always pick my own songs. I may run through a hundred cassettes, and out of that hundred I may be lucky if I find five or six. I mean that’s the truth, man. It’s not that the songs are not good, but they’re not good for me. I’ll tell any writer, if I turn down a song, don’t think the song is bad. It’s just I can’t find no way to handle it for me. Like for instance, I love the song ‘Stardust,’ but I’ll never sing it. I love the song, but I can’t do nothing with it.”

Ask your students: “What do you think Ray Charles meant in his words?”

Let’s examine Ray Charles’s interpretation of one of his biggest hits, which was first a country hit, written and performed by Don Gibson.

Don Gibson

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Teacher’s Guide

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the Musical Genius




skills in the analysis and evaluation of spoken ideas. (I,

II, III, IV)

Music6.0 Students will listen to, analyze, and describe music.



performances. Learning expectations: 7.1 (4, 5, 6-8,

9-12)







objectives: Students will discuss the meaning of the term genius and identify ways in which Ray Charles fits this category by examining four of his songs. Students will identify the variety of styles of American music incorporated in his music as well as his own personal style.

Prep Time: 10 minutes to set up CD player and CD

Materials: CD player, lesson kit CD, paper, pencils

Key Vocabulary: Genius �. Ask students what they think the

word genius means before they look it up in a dictionary. Then share the following with them and consider the discussion question.

Genius

According to Webster’s Dictionary, genius is exceptional intellectual or creative power; a natural inclinatioin or talent.

Discussion Question:

• Name some individuals who you think might be considered geniuses and explain why you think this. (Some answers might include Mom, Dad, Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Edison, Oprah Winfrey, J.K. Rowling, Michael Jordan etc.)

TeACheR’S NoTe:

This may be adapted to a writing activity by having students write their thoughts.

�. Share the following and discuss with students:

Ray Charles was raised in poverty in the Deep South during a time of harsh racism. By the end of his life, he was known by most as an American icon and a musical genius. He said, “I was born with music in me. Like my ribs, my liver, my kidneys, my heart. Like my blood.” He was blinded at six and orphaned at fifteen but refused to let these circumstances prevent him from being the best he could be.

At the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind he learned to read text and music in Braille. He would sit at the piano and read the music in Braille with his left hand while playing with his right hand. He then would switch hands and learn the music for the opposite hand, memorizing what both hands were doing. Those closest to him said that he heard all parts of the music in his head. His colleagues would often write out the music for him as he told it to them. He worked very hard on each song and would not stop until it was perfect.

Charles was a talented singer, pianist, saxophonist, and musical arranger. He was able to play and blend different streams of American music: jazz, blues, R&B, country, rock & roll, pop, and gospel. He not only blended these different styles but he added his own style to the music. Through his work as a musician, he traveled all over the nation and world. He didn’t “see” the places he visited, but he heard them.

RAY’S MuSICAL STYLe

acTiviTy sheeT

Name _______________________________________________ Class __________________________________

For questions 1-3, circle the choices you think best answer the question as you listen to the recordings played by your

teacher. You may circle more than one answer.

Question Don Gibson Version Ray Charles Version

1. What instruments do Banjo Fiddle Saxophone Banjo Violin Saxophone you hear in each version? Bass Guitar Steel Guitar Bass Guitar Steel Guitar Drums Piano Trombone Drums Piano Trombone Other: Other:

2. How would you Easy Loud Smooth Easy Loud Smooth describe the vocals Flowing Pounding Soft Flowing Pounding Soft in each song? Hard Rough Twangy Hard Rough Twangy Other: Other:

3. How would you Swing Pop R&B Swing Pop R&B describe the style of Blues Rock Jazz Blues Rock Jazz music of each song? Country Country Other: Other:

For questions 4-9, write your answer using complete sentences.

4. How is the background singing different?

5. What do you notice about the number of instruments and singers on each recording?


7. Do you like one version of the song better than the other? If yes, which one?

8. What does Ray do with the song that makes it his own version?

9. Do you think Ray Charles’s version of the song is still country? Why or why not?

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Teacher’s Guide

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6. one of the reasons Ray might be considered a musical genius is his interest in and ability to play several styles of music.

Ray respected the work of artists from several musical styles, just like they admired his work. In addition to creating his own versions of country songs on Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music and Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two, Ray also recorded the duet albums Friendship and Genius Loves Company with artists such as Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, and Ricky Skaggs. The Friendship album became a #1 selling album in 1984, and Ray’s duet with Willie Nelson, “Seven Spanish Angels,” became a #1 country hit. Let’s examine Ray’s duet with Willie Nelson.

TeACheR’S NoTe:

You can learn more about Willie Nelson by visiting countrymusichalloffame.com/site/explore-inductees-list.aspx and selecting his name from the drop-down menu.

7. Play “Seven Spanish Angels” (CD track #�) and discuss the following:

• How would you describe the style?

• What different styles of music do you hear? Explain.

• Does it remind you of music you have heard before? If so, describe it.

• Do you like it? Why or why not?

• Do you like the way Ray Charles’s and Willie Nelson’s voices sound together?

TeACheR’S NoTe:

You can easily adapt this to a writing activity by asking students to write a paragraph addressing the questions above.

�. Why do you think that Ray Charles is considered a musical genius? What is it that you are talented at doing?

TeACheR’S NoTe:

In addition to the above selections, Ray Charles’s versions of “America the Beautiful” and “Georgia on My Mind” are good examples of Charle’smusical genius. If you would like to examine these songs with your class, Nashville Public Library has the following CDs available for loan. Call numbers and ISBN numbers are provided for your convenience.

“ America the Beautiful” & “Georgia on My Mind”Ultimate Hits Collection, Ray CharlesRhino, 1999CALL # CD Soul C4751uISBN: 081227564421

“America the Beautiful”More Music from RayAtlantic/Rhino/WMG Soundtracks, 2005CALL # CD Soundtrack M836mISBN: 081227870324

“Georgia on My Mind”Georgia on My MindLaserLight, 2001CALL # CD Blues C476gISBN: 018111178426

Ray: Original Motion Picture SoundtrackAtlantic/Rhino/WMG Soundtracks, 2004CALL # CD Soundtrack R2631oISBN: 6308685097

20 Golden Classics, Ray CharlesGoldenlane Records, 2000CALL # CD Jazz C476tISBN: 741157088229

The Very Best of Ray CharlesRhino, 2000CALL # CD Soul C4751vISBN: 081227982225

TeACheR’S NoTe:

If you would like to explore with your class the issues of racism and poverty in the Deep South that are mentioned in this activity, free resources are available at www.tolerance.org/teach/resources

Let’s listen to some examples of Ray’s performances, to explore his musical genius by examining how he combined and added to different types of American music.

�. Play Ray Charles’s version of the Scottish folk song “My bonnie” (CD track # �), a song that may be familiar to your students.

Direct them to listen for different styles of music, and use the following questions for discussion or a writing activity. Let students know Ray is singing and playing piano on this song. It might also be helpful to play another version of “My Bonnie” and sing it with your students before listening to Ray Charles’s version.

• What do you think about Ray’s singing and piano playing abilities?

• Describe the styles of American music you hear (jazz, R&B, pop, rock & roll, country, etc).

• Describe the instruments you hear. Answers might include descriptions of piano, drums, guitar, bass, saxophone, and trombone.

• How would you describe Ray’s personal style in the music?

• What “feeling” do you think Ray is trying to convey in his version of the song?

• Do you like this song? Why or why not?

• How does listening to the song make you feel?

�. Play “What’d I Say” (CD track # 6), one of Charles’s most popular songs.

In this song, Ray incorporated the “call-and-response” technique, often associated with gospel music, which involved the audience or singers in his band. This song demonstrates his gift of combining gospel and blues. The fusion of these two sounds is called soul music, and Ray is considered to be one of the primary inventors. Listen to this song and consider the following:

• Describe the call-and-response singing you hear.

• Have you ever heard this sound in other types of music? Answers might include gospel, Christian, rap, rock & roll, children’s rhymes.

• If so, what and where did you hear this music? Answers might include church, sporting events, or on the radio.

• Do you like this song? Why or why not?

• How does listening to the song make you feel?

�. Listen to Ray’s solo from this instrumental called “x-Ray blues” (CD track # 7).

Ray always sang and played piano during his concerts. Throughout most of his career, he also played some songs on saxophone during performances. When we visit the museum, we will see Ray Charles’s alto saxophone. Consider the following questions:

• What do you think about his saxophone playing abilities?

• Describe the styles of American music you hear (jazz, R&B, pop, rock & roll, country, etc).

• Do you like this piece of music? Why or why not?

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Teacher’s Guide

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6. Share the following with students:

During the latter part of his career, Ray Charles emerged as an icon. Even as his records failed to make the charts after the success of 1984’s Friendship album, Charles was being showered with awards and honors, and courted by presidents and politicians as a symbol of American opportunity and equality. His appearances in popular TV ads kept him in the public eye in the 1990s and helped secure his status as a well-known figure of popular music.

7. use the following questions for discussion:

• When you think of Ray Charles, what comes to mind? You may wish to reference the poster from this kit as a visual aid.

• We have learned that Ray Charles appeared in several TV ads. Can you remember any advertisements in which you have seen Ray Charles? Describe them. Many students will not have seen or heard these ads.

• One popular advertisement he did in the United States was for Diet Pepsi cola (“You Got the Right One, Baby”). Why would a company want someone considered an icon to advertise their product?

• We’ve also learned that Ray Charles was given numerous awards and recognitions in the United States and around the world. Among them, he received the Kennedy Center Honors, presented to him by President Reagan. This is one of the most prestigious awards a performer can receive. Charles also was given the Order of Arts and Letters from the French government, one of France’s highest artistic honors. What do these honors tell us about Ray Charles?

• Would you want to be an icon? Why or why not?

�. explore with your students more about the Kennedy Center honors at www.kennedy-center.org/programs/specialevents/honors/about/home.html and learn more about the order of Arts and Letters at www.ambafrance-us.org/culture/people/texts/order-art.html.

• What is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts? Where is it located? What is special about it?

9. Ask students to write a paragraph about their favorite icon, addressing why the person or thing is an icon and what they represent.

�0. encourage students to share their work with the class.

What’s an icon?

Tennessee sTaTe CurriCulum sTandards:Language Arts�.0 The student will develop the structural and creative








3.03 (3-8), 3.04 (3-8)




(I, II, III, IV)







high School Post WWII eraCulture �.� Identify examples of how language,




high School Contemporary WorldCulture �.� Identify instances in which language,

art, music, belief systems, and other cultural elements

facilitate understanding or create misunderstanding.

objective: Students will explore the term icon by examining Ray Charles’s work and achievements that demonstrate his iconic status.

Prep Time: None

Materials: Paper, pencils

Key Vocabulary: Icon, cultural icon

�. Ask students what the word “icon” means.

You may choose to have them share what they know about the word before looking it up in a dictionary. Many students will associate icon with a computer screen. Use this to discuss how the icons on a computer screen are really symbols for other things such as various computer programs or functions.


While there are multiple definitions for the word icon, here are two that are relevant to our discussion today:

Icon

1) An important and enduring symbol. 2) One who is the object of great attention and devotion;

an idol.

�. Ask students to list ten icons (that are not people), such as the Statue of Liberty, Mickey Mouse, or the Washington Monument.

Discuss each icon on the list and what it represents.


When people are considered icons, it is different from just being famous. An icon is an enduring symbol, meaning that it has stood the test of time. Just like items we consider icons that are not people—such as monuments, characters, and buildings—these people represent something else, such as an achievement or way of life. Their accomplishments, reputations, and legacies become a part of American life. Hence, they become icons.

�. As a class, list twenty famous people, and decide whether each name is someone who is an icon or just famous.

Ask your class if Ray Charles fits the definition of an icon, and ask them to explain their answer.

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Ray Charles shakes hands with President Ronald Regan and Vice President George Bush after singing “America the Beautiful” at the 1984 Republican Convention.

Photograph courtesy of Bill Greensmith

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Post-Visit lessons

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Teacher’s Guide

Post-Visit lessons

Ray’s stage style

TeACheR’S NoTe:

In preparation for this activity, students will be given an observation worksheet to collect information during their exhibit tour. The worksheet is included on page 15 for reference and will be distributed to students during their museum visit.









3.03 (3-8), 3.04 (3-8)




(I, II, III, IV)

Visual Art�.0 Students will understand and apply media,

techniques, and processes. Learning expectations: 1.1

(K, 1, 2, 3-4, 5, 6-8, 9-12), 1.2 (K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8, 9-12),

1.3 (1-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12) 1.4 (4-5)

�.0 Students will choose and evaluate a range of subject

matter, symbols, and ideas. Learning expectations: 3.1

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 3.2 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 3.3 (1)

6.0 Students will make connections between visual

arts and other disciplines. Learning expectations: 6.1

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 6.2 (3, 4, 5)

objective: Students will reflect on their museum visit by discussing how Ray showed his personal style in what he wore as well as draw a representation of or write about their own personal style.Prep Time: NoneMaterials: Paper, pencils (Art supplies such as crayons and scissors if you choose to do the art extension.)


You may also wish to refer them to the poster that came with the lesson kit to examine different images of Ray.

Now that we have seen the Ray Charles exhibit, let’s discuss his style based on the costumes and sunglasses we saw.

�. use the following questions for discussion or ask students to write a paragraph addressing one or more of them:

• What do you remember about Ray’s costumes? (Answers might include: glamorous, flashy, beautiful, etc.)

• Did you have a favorite costume? What made it special?

• What did all the different costumes have in common? If students don’t mention it on their own, point out that they attract attention in one way or another.

• Why do you think Ray often chose to wear tuxedos?

• What would be the advantage of having “flashy” or “sparkly” stage wear?

• How would these kinds of costumes be even more helpful to someone who could not move around the stage?

• Ray wore sunglasses when in public. Why do you think he did that?

• How would you describe Ray Charles’s sunglasses?

• What might Ray’s sunglasses say about his personal style?

�. Share the following with students.

Ray Charles often wore nicely tailored and fashionable suits on stage. Many performers wear “flashy” or “sparkly” costumes because they stand out under the stage lights, which reflect off sequins or other shiny materials. For Ray, this was especially important, as he was often performing with a large band and could not move around the stage because of his blindness. He typically remained seated at the piano, but his costumes helped to make sure that he was the focus. He also began wearing sunglasses as a young man to improve his appearance. Sunglasses were one of the very few luxuries he purchased once he began making a small amount of money as a musician. Ray described it this way: “I was feeling full-grown, making a small amount of change, and working in halfway decent clubs. Even bought myself a pair of dark glasses–my first. They were just regular sunglasses. My friends had been telling me that my eyes didn’t look good. Lots of times

they were tearing and caked with matter. So for the sake of appearance, I got some dark glasses, and I’ve been wearing them ever since.”

�. Ask students to write in their journals describing the Ray Charles costumes and sunglasses they saw in the exhibit.

�. Ask students to write a paragraph about or draw a picture of a costume that they would wear on stage. Ask them to consider what they would like the audience to think about when they are on stage.

You might choose to have students create a visual representation of Ray Charles and one of themselves, as well as a descriptive paragraph explaining the style of each.

6. encourage students to share their work with the class.

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Ray Charles at Carnegie Hall, 1962Photograph by Joe Adams. Courtesy of Joe Adams.

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Teacher’s Guide

Post-Visit lessonsRAY’S STAGe STYLe

exhibiT Tour WorksheeT1. Find the display case that contains some of Ray’s tuxedos. It is located near the big television screen at the back of

the exhibit. Look carefully at each of the costumes.

a. What words would you use to describe Ray’s costumes?

d. Which of these costumes do you like the best? Why? You can use this space to describe that costume or to draw a picture of it.

What did you learn about Ray Charles?









3.03 (3-8), 3.04 (3-8)




(I, II, III, IV)






cultures. Learning expectations: 1.01 (6-8, 7), 1.02 (K-5),

1.03 (K-5), 1.04 (6,7)

objective: Students will create a set of statements they believe about Ray Charles as well as a set of statements determining what they would like to learn about Ray and then evaluate these statements by reflecting on their museum visit.

Prep Time: None

Materials: KWL charts created before visiting the exhibit, paper, and pencils

�. After visiting the Ray Charles exhibit, review the KWL charts created by your students before their visit and use the following questions for discussion:

• Are all the items on our “what we KNOW” list correct?

• If not, what changes do we need to make to the incorrect items?

• What did we LEARN about Ray Charles on our visit that we can put in our “L” section?

• Did we learn everything that was on our “what we WANT to learn” list?

• If not, how could we find the information we still do not have?

• What was your favorite part of the Ray Charles exhibit and why?

TeACheR’S NoTe:

If you chose to have each student create their own KWL chart, you may wish to make this an individual activity also by asking students to write their own responses to the discussion questions before sharing their thoughts with the class.

�. Ask students to write a letter to Ray Charles telling him what they learned about him that they did not know before seeing the exhibit.

If Ray Charles were still alive today, what would you like to tell him? These letters can be mailed to the museum. Museum staff members will forward these letters to the Ray Charles Marketing Group of Ray Charles Enterprises. You may choose to send samples of the other writing activities your students completed during their work with this kit.

School Programs CoordinatorCountry Music Hall of Fame® and Museum222 Fifth Avenue SouthNashville, TN 37203

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3. Find the big television screen located on the back wall of the exhibit. Have a seat on one of the round benches and take some time to watch the footage of Ray Charles’s performances. As you watch, pay close attention to his costumes. Then answer the following questions.

a. What do you notice about Ray’s costumes?

b. Do you like the way Ray’s costumes look when he is performing? Why or why not?

a. What words would you use to describe these sunglasses? b. Which of these pairs of sunglasses do you like the best? Why? You can use this space to describe that pair of sunglasses or to draw a picture of them.

2. Examine the sunglasses in the glass case near the back wall of the exhibit.

b. What is similar about the costumes? c. What is different?

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Post-Visit lessons

1. Move It on Over — Hank Williams (Hank Williams Sr.)© 1947 Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music (BMI). All rights on behalf of Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. A.ll rights reserved. Used by permission. Courtesy of Estate of Hank Williams

2. Move It on Over — Ray Charles(Hank Williams Sr.)© 1947 Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music (BMI). All rights on behalf of Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Courtesy of Ray Charles Enterprises by arrangement of the Ray Charles Marketing Group

3. I Can’t Stop Loving You — Don Gibson(Don Gibson)© 1958 Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music (BMI). All rights on behalf of Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Under License From The SONY BMG Custom Marketing Group, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

4. I Can’t Stop Loving You — Ray Charles(Don Gibson)© 1958 Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music (BMI). All rights on behalf of Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Courtesy of Ray Charles Enterprises by arrangement of the Ray Charles Marketing Group

5. My Bonnie — Ray Charles(Traditional, Arranged by Ray Charles)Unichappell Music, Inc. (BMI) Produced Under License From Atlantic Recording Corp.

6. What’d I Say — Ray Charles(Ray Charles)Unichappell Music, Inc. (BMI) Produced Under License From Atlantic Recording Corp.

7. X- Ray Blues — Ray Charles(Ray Charles)Unichappell Music, Inc. (BMI)Produced Under License From Atlantic Recording Corp.

8. Seven Spanish Angels — Ray Charles & Willie Nelson(Troy Seals / Edward F. Setser)Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co. (BMI) / WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) Under License From The SONY BMG Custom Marketing Group, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

Christina Amezquita Glendale Elementary SchoolLeshia Bess Julia Green Elementary SchoolCassandral Cambric Oliver Middle SchoolMark Hayes Maplewood High SchoolTrevor Holt Brick Church Middle SchoolMelissa Javors Paragon Mills ElementaryAmy Moore Martha Vaught Middle SchoolMichael Stewart St. Bernard AcademyPatrice Villines East Literature Magnet School

Ray Charles and Country Music teacher’s lesson Kit Companion Cd

The staff of the Country Music hall

of Fame® and Museum thanks the

following local teachers who gave

their time and valuable input during

the development of this resource:

Photograph by Howard MoreheadCollection of the California African American Museum,

Gift of Fran Cooper and the Estate of Howard Morehead

ray charles teachers guide

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