Ray Charles Robinson, otherwise known as simply Ray Charles or the Genius, is essentially the father of soul music. Throughout the ’50s and ’60s, his career skyrocketed as more and more people caught on to this new style of music combining everything from blues to country.
When you think soul music and Christmas, the first thing to come to mind would probably not be “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” This song is usually reserved for little kids, or for carolers trying to make their audience smile with some kind of campy gimmick. No, this song was definitely not written for a soulful singer like Ray Charles.
But Charles wasn’t about to let that stop him from having his own fun with it! When he performed with the Voices of Jubilation Choir in 2002, he put on just as good of a show as he used to midcentury. The choir behind him, equally talented and soulful, filled the room with happy chords while Charles sings the jaunty melody of “Rudolph,” adding his own personal flair, of course.
While this performance was just a year and a half before Charles passed on, his performance was still so full of youth and joy. This just goes to show what an incredible performer and musician he never stopped being throughout his entire life. His ability to bring joy to listeners never faded, especially not with this fun version of “Rudolph.”
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