Album Essentials: Ray Charles "Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music" (1962)

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

After a handful of singles with the McSon trio in the late 1940s into early 1950s, Ray Charles signed to Atlantic Records in 1952, headed by Ahmet Ertegun, it was the perfect home for an artist like Charles. From 1952 through 1960, he placed over 20 singles in the US R&B charts, 18 hitting the Top 10 and 6 hitting the top! It wouldn't be until 1957 that his first Atlantic LP was released. A long run followed over the next five years, including milestones like 'What'd I Say,' 'The Genius of Ray Charles,' and 'Yes Indeed.'

By 1960, the hits are slowed up a bit, and a change was made with Charles moving to ABC Records. This would prove a good move with classics like 'The Genius Hits the Road' and 'Genius + Soul = Jazz' standing tall in his already impressive catalog. By 1962, he was ready to shake things up a bit more. Since moving to ABC he had been trying to incorporate other styles of music into his signature R&B. The album ' The Genius Hits the Road' was a travelogue of sorts with songs about various locations. It delivered one of his best-loved recordings with 'Georgia on My Mind' while 'Dedicated to You' was another conceptual LP, only instead of locations, it was women’s names. By 1962 he took a more dramatic step with 'Modern Sounds in Country And Western Music.'

Long before Beyonce or Ringo Starr decided they were 'country,' Ray Charles delivered the goods with an album that fans and critics loved. It spawned a total of four hit singles and became his first number one LP and second gold record in a row. The album not only showed off another side of Charles' talents but also emphasized the songs’ strengths and how a good song can bend and twist into different shapes in the right hands. The album was so popular it was followed by Volume 1, which also proved a big success and he didn't even need to wear a cowboy hat!

He tackled songs like 'Hey Good Lookin' and 'You Win Again' (both Hank Williams classics) as well as 'Bye Bye Love,' originally a hit for the Everly Brothers, and songs by Don Gibson, Eddy Arnold and others. Remaining true to his style and putting the emphasis on the song, Charles made every song his own, even winning a Grammy Award for 'I Can't Stop Loving You' as best R&B record of the year. Make no mistake, this is not Ray trying to sound ‘country’ but rather taking these great songs in a grand remake/remodel. Let’s just say, you have never heard Hank Williams swing like this!

Mr. Ray Charles himself said it best, "“I’m not a country singer. I’m a singer who sings country songs. I’m not a blues singer, but I can sing the blues. I’m not really a crooner, but I can sing love songs. I’m not a specialist, but I’m a pretty good utility man. I can play first base, second base, short stop. I can catch and maybe even pitch a little.”

'Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music' remains essential to not only R&B and country, but American music in general.