(CNN) -- Ray Charles, the innovative singer and pianist whose combinations of blues and gospel pioneered soul music and earned him the nickname "the Genius," has died. He was 73.

Charles was a towering figure in pop music history. The term "genius" came from Frank Sinatra -- no slouch in the singing department himself -- and others called him "the greatest pop singer of his generation" and "a true American musical original."

Source:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Musi...les/index.html



Damn, I gonna miss seeing him perform. What a voice, man.

I am sure glad he has one more album being released next month posthumously.

An inspiration talent who left a tremendous legacy of creative work with the world.