MODERN SOUNDS IN COUNTRY & WESTERN MUSIC - Ray Charles

YEAR: 1962

LABEL: ABC-Paramount/Rhino

TRACK LISTING: Bye Bye Love, You Don't Know Me, Half as Much, I Love You So Much It Hurts, Just A Little Lovin' (Will Go A Long Way), Born To Lose, Worried Mind, It Makes No Difference Now, You Win Again, Careless Love, I Can't Stop Lovin' You, Hey Good Lookin'

BONUS TRACKS: You Are My Sunshine, Here We Go Again, That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven)

IMPRESSIONS: Certainly one of the most influential albums of all time. This one makes me think of my late friend Peg. We would often listen to some Ray Charles when she was putting the water up for pasta (and she'd usually sing "Hit the Road, Jack" when it was time for me to go home). And one of the most often played of Brother Ray's output was this album.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: You Don't Know Me, Half As Much, I Love You So Much It Hurts, Just A Little Lovin', Born To Lose, It Makes No Difference Now, You Win Again, Careless Love, I Can't Stop Lovin' You, That Lucky Old Sun

FACT SHEET: MODERN SOUNDS IN COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC is Ray Charles' 18th album (more or less); it is his fifth album released by ABC-Paramount after Charles left Atlantic Records for a much better contract. It is a concept album of sorts in that Ray Charles covers well-known country songs as a radical departure from his usual output. The album is considered a landmark in breaking down racial barriers in the music industry; by combining R&B with Country, Ray Charles received radio play on both black and white stations. The album spent 14 weeks at number one on the US pop charts.