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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 22, 2010 RAY CHARLES' 80TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION LAUNCHES REVAMPED WEB SITE AND KICKS OFF 20-MONTH TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC ICON The genius of Ray Charles is the focus of a major celebration being launched in honor of the pioneering artist, who would have turned 80 on Sept. 23, 2010. Signaled by the recent re-launch of the raycharles.com web site, “The Ray Charles 80th Birthday Celebration” will ultimately encompass a 20-month series of events and announcements. “We will be rolling out exciting events and announcements every month through September 2011,” states Valerie Ervin, President of The Ray Charles Foundation. “It’s not only a chance to connect with Mr. Charles’ ongoing fan base on various levels but to also engage a new generation of fans as we re-introduce his enduring legacy and catalog of work. Fans throughout the world will be able to learn more about Mr. Charles -- not only as a music legend but as a global icon of historical significance.” Enhanced by links to various social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, the newly renovated raycharles.com web site offers news stories and updates about forthcoming music releases and events, a “This Day in Ray Charles History” feature and official Ray Charles merchandise. The site—netting a 1000% increase in visitors since its launch -- debuted with complete discographies of new album releases and vinyl singles recorded by the 17-time Grammy Award winner. A special “80th Birthday Celebration” logo has been designed for all product releases and events. These discographies will eventually be expanded to include compilation albums and boxed sets, soundtrack albums and early songs recorded by Charles when he was the vocalist and pianist for the McSon Trio (also known as the Maxim or Maxin Trio) in the 1940s. “There are few things more exhausting to compile than all of the songs recorded by Ray Charles,” says Janet Macoska, Brand Manager/Archivist for The Ray Charles Marketing Group, the licensing arm for The Ray Charles Foundation. “The volume of work he produced during his career is incredible. The two discographies now contain more than 600 unique recordings. When everything is complete, there will be more than 700 recordings.” Several of those recordings provided the musical backdrop for the seventh season opener of CBS’ popular television series, “Cold Case.” Premiering Sept. 27, 2009, the episode was seen by over 9,000,000 viewers. Over the coming 20 months, key events tied in with “The Ray Charles 80th Birthday Celebration” include new music releases, a documentary DVD and the opening of the Ray Charles Memorial Library in Los Angeles. For more information about “The Ray Charles 80th Birthday Celebration,” please contact: David Brokaw, The Brokaw Company, 310-273-2060, db@brokawcompany.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JANUARY 25, 2010 THE RAY CHARLES 80TH BIRTHDAY The ringing in of 2010 marks the launch of “The Ray Charles 80th Birthday Celebration” with a series of events and projects planned to celebrate what would have been the music icon’s 80th birthday on September 23, 2010. “The official re-launch of the www.raycharles.com website will start the celebration on January 8th and we plan on creating exciting events and announcements every month through September of 2011, making this a twenty month celebration”, stated Tony Gumina of The Ray Charles Marketing Group, the licensing arm for The Ray Charles Foundation. “On the new website, Ray Charles fans throughout the world will be able to learn more about Mr. Charles not only as a musical legend but as a worldwide icon of historical significance,” Gumina added.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JANUARY 25, 2010 2010 ANNIVERSARY DATES FOR THE In addition to being the 80th anniversary of the birth of Ray Charles on September 23, 1930, this year brings a host of other anniversaries that are representative of the incredible career of The Genius. The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of the first Grammy award-winning recording for Ray Charles for his 1959 recording of “Let The Good Times Roll.” Mr. Charles would go on to win 16 other Grammy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. In addition, Ray Charles was the only vocalist to record a Grammy award-winning work in every decade from the 1950s through the 2000s. January 28th is the 20th anniversary of Ray’s first Super Bowl commercial for Diet Pepsi. In 1999, TV Guide ranked this commercial from the 1990 game on its list of “50 Best Television Commercials of All Time.” Pepsi’s “You’ve Got The Right One Baby, Uh-Huh!” series of commercials remains one of the longest running and most successful campaigns in the history of the Diet Pepsi brand. March 7th commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the release of the single, “We Are The World,” the fastest-selling American pop single in music history. This song, recorded by Ray Charles with many other music industry icons, went on to raise over $60,000,000 for humanitarian aid in Africa. March 25th is the 50th anniversary of the recording session for Ray’s definitive version of the Hoagy Carmichael/Stuart Gorrell classic song “Georgia On My Mind.” This recording earned Ray Charles two Grammy awards, was his first Billboard #1 Pop Chart Single and was the first commercial recording to become an official state song.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 28, 2009 THE RAY CHARLES FOUNDATION WINS LAWSUIT Court Rules Ray Charles’ Intellectual Property Rights will be Retained by Foundation the Late Singer Established in 1986 LOS ANGELES — In a decisive ruling, The Ray Charles Foundation holds all rights to the professional name, likeness, celebrity and other intellectual property of the late Ray Charles. The judgment was handed down by the United States District Court, Central District of California on May 28, 2009, in a litigation filed by The Foundation. Arriving on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the late singer’s death, the indisputable judgment is also vindication for Charles’ former manager, Joe Adams. A Federal Court earlier dismissed lawsuits filed against Mr. Adams and others. The Ray Charles Foundation President, Valerie Ervin, said, “The attack on Mr. Adams’ name and reputation caused him a great deal of undo stress over the years. These attacks were old, baseless allegations. This ruling does provide him with some solace. Ray is smiling down on us, knowing that we are continuing to carry on his philanthropy and protect his work as he envisioned.” Under the terms of the ruling, The Foundation has been awarded compensatory damages, representing three times its actual damages. In addition, The Foundation was also awarded reasonable attorney’s fees and lawsuit costs. When the lawsuit was filed in April 2008, Adams and other Foundation executives declared they were acting in accordance with Charles’ wishes that all rights to his intellectual property, in perpetuity, would be granted to The Ray Charles Foundation, formerly “The Robinson Foundation For Hearing Disorders, Inc”. During a family dinner in 2002 prior to Charles’ death, Charles personally informed his children of his decision. He also noted the children would each receive a onetime cash payment from their respective trusts. Following the singer’s death at 73 on June 10, 2004, RCE assigned the intellectual property rights to The Ray Charles Foundation. Established in 1986, The Ray Charles Foundation has donated more than $10 million in grants to institutions devoted to providing medical research, financial aid and educational support to the hearing impaired and underprivileged. In addition, The Foundation has continued to cultivate Charles’ rich musical legacy — a nearly six-decade career dating back to his first charted single in 1949. In addition to the multiple Grammy Award-winning 2004 album “Genius Loves Company,” The Foundation was a pivotal force behind the 2004 biographical film “Ray,” netting star Jamie Foxx an Academy Award for best actor. In November 2008, The Foundation entered into an exclusive agreement with Concord Music Group to develop Charles’ post-1960 catalog, which contains his classic work for the ABC and Tangerine labels. Concord has launched several more projects, including an eight-disc boxed set 2005’s “Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings [1952-1959]”) Mr. Charles’ self proclaimed albums “A Message From The People” produced by Ray and recorded at his RPM International Studio and Ray Charles’ “Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music” this past June. Ray Charles’ fascination with country and western music was anything but an overnight development. Ray Charles loved country music enough to risk his career recording it. As it turns out, the results paid off handsomely. When they call you “the genius,” you learn to trust your instincts. This month in conjunction with Concord Music Group, produced by Bret Primack, the video podcast series, “Ray Charles, Genius” was launched. The 16 episode series airs on “YouTube” and presents an in-depth look at Ray’s remarkable creativity. The court’s recent ruling now paves the way for The Foundation to continue its mission. Grants thus far in 2009 total $1.9 million to various deserving institutions, Dillard University, The United Negro College Fund, Oralingua School for the Hearing Impaired, School on Wheels, Inc. to name a few. Its upcoming slate of projects includes the completion of the Ray Charles Library and additional reissues from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member’s storied career — including never-before-heard recordings.
RAY CHARLES PODCAST May 15, 2009 New Video Podcast Series, Ray Charles, Genius,
Ray Charles, Genius, a sixteen episode video podcast series produced by Bret Primack for Concord Records, is now showing on YouTube and is available for download on iTunes. The debut episode is entitled: There is Only One Ray Charles. A comprehensive examination of the musical life of Ray Charles, each episode is devoted to a specific recording or critical aspect of his music, focusing on his influences, recording techniques, live appearances, small group and big band, and the Raeletts. The series coincides with Concord’s digital release of 28 Ray Charles recordings, as well as the CD reissue of several Charles' classics, including A Message From the People, a Deluxe 50th Anniversary Expanded Edition of Genius + Soul = Jazz, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vols. 1&2, and Genius Hits the Road. Filmmaker Bret Primack travelled around the country this spring conducting interviews with: Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, the only surviving member of Ray’s early seven piece band; Trombonist Steve Turre, who played with Ray’s big band in the 70s; Trombonist/Arranger Tom Malone, who played with Ray on Saturday Night Live, and in the film, The Blues Brothers; Percussionist/Producer Gregg Field, who also played drums with Ray’s big band in the 70s and later produced Ray Sings, Basie Swings; Pianist/Composer Victor Vanacore, who was Ray’s conductor for the last fifteen years of his life; Vocalist Angela Workman, a Raelett; and Composer/Arranger Mike Post who worked with Ray on A Message From The People. Primack also spoke with Newport Jazz Festival founder George Wein, Jazz writers Ira Gitler and Dan Morgenstern, pianist Billy Taylor who knew Ray Charles when he first arrived in New York in the mid-50s, and John Burk, who produced Genius Loves Company, recorded just before Ray Charles died in 2004. "I was lucky to speak with people who knew Ray at the beginning, and in his later years, as well," Primack explains. “I also sought the perspective of listeners, so I spoke with several serious Ray Charles fans,” Primack reports. “I got expert testimony from two multi-talented composer/musicians Leon Ware and Al Kooper, and one surprise, Rep. John Conyers.” Primack encountered the Congressman at Bert’s, a Detroit club, where Marcus Belgrave was performing. Ray Charles, Genius, is being produced with the cooperation of Tony Gumina, who heads up The Ray Charles Marketing Group, and Valerie Ervin, the President of the Ray Charles Foundation. “Tony and Valerie worked very closely with Ray in his later years so their perspective and assistance on this project has been invaluable.” While posting episodes bi-weekly, Primack is concurrently producing a “Filmmaker’s Blog,” which will accompany each podcast. He explains that the video blog is like “the extras on a DVD, content that enhances the actual presentations." View the debut episode of the series, Ray Charles, Genius here: THERE IS ONLY ONE RAY CHARLES. Subscribe to the series on iTunes here: RAY CHARLES, GENIUS Coming June 17th: An American Classic: Ray Charles — Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music For more information, please contact: Bret Primack — geniuspodcasts@gmail.com |
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