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DESCRIPTION
Ray Charles was the musician most responsible for developing soul music. Singers like Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson also did a great deal to pioneer the form, but Charles did even more to devise a new form of Black pop by merging '50s R&B with gospel-powered vocals, adding plenty of flavor from contemporary jazz, blues, and (in the '60s) country. Then there was his singing; his style was among the most emotional and easily identifiable of any 20th century performer, up there with the likes of Elvis and Billie Holiday. He was also a superb keyboard player, arranger, and bandleader. The brilliance of his 1950s and '60s work, however, can't obscure the fact that he made few classic tracks after the mid-'60s, though he recorded often and performed until the year before his death.

This box set covers his early Atlantic recordings from 1952 to 1959 and is an excellent example of early soul music foundations.

Alto Saxophone – Auguste "Dimes" Dupont (tracks: 1-11, 1-12), David Newman* (tracks: 2-4 to 2-7, 2-12 to 3-18), O'Neil Gerald (tracks: 1-13 to 1-16)
Arranged By – Jesse Stone (tracks: 1-5 to 1-10)
Art Direction – Bob Defrin, Carol Bobolts, Red Herring Design
Backing Vocals – The Raeletts* (tracks: 3-1 to 3-17), The Cookies (tracks: 2-9, 2-12 to 2-16)
Baritone Saxophone – Cecil Payne (tracks: 2-8 to 2-11), David Newman* (tracks: 1-17 to 2-7), Emmett Dennis* (tracks: 2-12 to 3-10), Hank Crawford (tracks: 3-11 to 3-18), Warren Bell (tracks: 1-13 to 1-16)
Bass – Edgar Willis (tracks: 3-1 to 3-18), Frank Fields (tracks: 1-11, 1-12), Jimmy Bell (2) (tracks: 1-17 to 2-3), Lloyd Lambert (tracks: 1-13 to 1-16), Lloyd Trotman (2) (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10), Paul West (tracks: 2-8 to 2-11), Roosevelt Sheffield (tracks: 2-4 to 2-7, 2-12 to 2-18)
Congas – Candido Camero* (tracks: 1-5 to 1-10), Mongo Santamaria (tracks: 3-11 to 3-14)
Drums – Alonzo Stewart (tracks: 1-11, 1-12), Connie Kay (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10), Glenn Brooks (tracks: 1-17 to 2-3), Milt Turner (tracks: 3-11 to 3-16), Oscar Moore (2) (tracks: 1-13 to 1-16), Panama Francis (tracks: 2-8 to 2-11), Richard Goldberg* (tracks: 3-6 to 3-10), Teagle Fleming (tracks: 3-17, 3-18), William Peeples (tracks: 2-4 to 2-7, 2-12 to 3-5)
Edited By [Reissue] – Stephen Innocenzi
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer] – Ray Charles (tracks: 3-12, 3-13, 3-15 to 3-18)
Executive-Producer – Ahmet M. Ertegun*
Guitar – Edgar Blanchard (tracks: 1-11, 1-12), Mickey Baker (tracks: 1-5 to 1-10), Wesley Jackson (4) (tracks: 1-17 to 2-3)
Liner Notes [Essay] – Robert Palmer (3)
Mastered By [Reissue] – Ted Jensen
Organ – Ray Charles (tracks: 3-14)
Photography By – Bob Parent, Institute Of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University, Lee Friedlander, Michael Ochs Archives, Schomburg Center For Research In Black Culture, The New York Public Library, William Claxton
Piano – Ray Charles (tracks: 1-1 to 3-11)
Producer – Ahmet Ertegun (tracks: 1-1 to 3-18), Herb Abramson (tracks: 1-1 to 1-4), Jerry Wexler (tracks: 1-11 to 3-18)
Reissue Producer – Bob Porter, Kim Cooke, Yves Beauvais
Saxophone – Dave McRae (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10), Freddie Mitchell (tracks: 1-5 to 1-10), Pinky Williams (tracks: 1-5 to 1-10), Sam Taylor (2) (tracks: 1-1 to 1-4)
Tenor Saxophone – David Newman* (tracks: 2-12 to 3-18), Don Wilkerson (tracks: 1-17 to 2-11), Joe Tillman (tracks: 1-13 to 1-16), Warren Hebrew (tracks: 1-11, 1-12)
Trumpet – Charles Whitley (tracks: 1-17 to 2-3), Frank Mitchell (5) (tracks: 1-13 to 1-16), Jesse Drakes (tracks: 1-1 to 1-4), Joe Bridgewater (tracks: 1-17 to 3-5), John Hunt (tracks: 2-12 to 2-18, 3-15 to 3-18), Joshua Willis (tracks: 2-8 to 2-11), Lee Harper (tracks: 3-6 to 3-14), Marcus Belgrave (tracks: 3-6 to 3-18), Ricky Harper (tracks: 3-1 to 3-5), Riley Webb (tracks: 2-4 to 2-7), Wallace Davenport (tracks: 1-13 to 1-16)
Vocals – Margie Hendrix (tracks: 3-12), Mary Ann Fish* (tracks: 3-4), Ray Charles

CONDITION
Disc: VG++
Cover: VG++
Box: VG++

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Stock image used.

TRACKLISTING
1-1        The Sun's Gonna Shine Again 2:36
1-2        Roll With My Baby 2:35
1-3        The Midnight Hour 2:59
1-4        Jumpin' In The Morning 2:44
1-5        It Should Have Been Me 2:42
1-6        Losing Hand 3:11
1-7        Heartbreaker 2:51
1-8        Sinner's Prayer 3:21
1-9        Mess Around 2:38
1-10        Funny But I Still Love You 3:12
1-11        Feelin' Sad 2:47
1-12        I Wonder Who 2:47
1-13        Don't You Know? 2:55
1-14        Nobody Cares 2:37
1-15        Ray's Blues 2:52
1-16        Mr. Charles Blues 2:45
1-17        Blackjack 2:18
2-1        I Got A Woman 2:50
2-2        Greenbacks 2:48
2-3        Come Back Baby 3:04
2-4        A Fool For You 3:00
2-5        This Little Girl Of Mine 2:30
2-6        Hard Times 2:53
2-7        A Bit Of Soul 2:17
2-8        Mary Ann 2:45
2-9        Drown In My Own Tears 3:19
2-10        Hallelujah I Love Her So 2:34
2-11        What Would I Do Without You 2:34
2-12        Lonely Avenue 2:33
2-13        I Want To Know 2:09
2-14        Leave My Woman Alone 2:38
2-15        It's Alright 2:15
2-16        Ain't That Love 2:51
2-17        Get On The Right Track 2:17
2-18        Rockhouse Parts 1 & 2 3:51
3-1        Swanee River Rock 2:18
3-2        That's Enough 2:43
3-3        Talkin' About You 2:49
3-4        What Kind Of Man Are You 2:47
3-5        I Want A Little Girl 2:53
3-6        Yes Indeed 2:14
3-7        I Had A Dream 2:52
3-8        You Be My Baby 2:28
3-9        Tell All The World About You 2:01
3-10        My Bonnie 2:44
3-11        Early In The Morning 2:43
3-12        The Right Time 3:26
3-13        Carryin' The Load 2:22
3-14        Tell Me How Do You Feel 2:42
3-15        What'd I Say, Parts 1 & 2 6:26
3-16        Tell The Truth 3:03
3-17        I'm Movin' On 2:20
3-18        I Believe To My Soul 2:59