Ray Charles before he was famous

The nobody years

1. 

   1935 The laundry tub

   He watched his younger brother drown in their mother's laundry tub.

   Watched his younger brother George drown in their mother's laundry tub. Source

2. 

   1937-1945 Music in Braille

   At a school for the blind, he read music in Braille.

   Attended the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St Augustine, learning piano, saxophone, clarinet, trumpet and organ, and reading music in Braille. Source

3. 

   1945 1945, school over

   His mother died that spring, and he left school after her funeral.

   Lost his mother in the spring of 1945 and left school after her funeral. Source

4. 

   1948 Seattle at seventeen

   At seventeen, he moved all the way to Seattle.

   Moved to Seattle at seventeen. Source

5. 

   1948-1949 The McSon Trio

   In Seattle he formed a trio, the McSon Trio.

   Formed the McSon Trio in Seattle. Source

6. 1930

   Was born Ray Charles Robinson in Albany, Georgia, and grew up in poverty in Greenville, Florida. Source

7. 1937

   Began losing his sight at four or five and was blind by seven, most likely from glaucoma. Source

8. 1945-1947

   Played piano around Jacksonville and Tampa. Source

Reconstructions of documented moments, generated with AI. Not archive photographs, and not depictions of real people. © The Nobody Years