Introduction
Ray Charles was a very good jazz musician and more than capable on saxophone and piano before he found fame as a singer with a Gospel style. His vocal recordings were imbued with conviction. Pianist Hoagy Carmichael (1899-1981 and a rare conservative Republican in the entertainment world) wrote many outstanding melodies including Stardust, Nearness of You, Heart and Soul, Rockin’ Chair, ‘I Get Along Without You Very Well’ and ‘My Resistance is Low’. All are long forgotten now that infantile lyrics, shock and noise dominate the music world. Carmichael also wrote the melody of ‘Georgia On My Mind’ back around 1929. The ambivalent lyrics were written by Stuart Gorrell.
Review
In 1960, just before any semblance of decent popular music was banished by the Media Class, Ray Charles recorded ‘Georgia On My Mind’ and gave it the Gospel treatment. It is one of the great popular recordings of all time and we dedicate it to a true conservative patriot who lives in Atlanta, Georgia. May he and his wife enjoy a happy Christmas and a successful 2015!