Ray Charles Robinson was born in Albany, Georgia on September 23, 1930. Ray Charles was not born blind. He started to lose his sight somewhere around the age of six. When Ray loses his sight at 7 his mother teaches him to use his mind, ears and hands as his eyes which helps ease the young Ray Charles into the almost inevitable dark life ahead of him. Before the loss of his sight Ray learn't the piano from a man in his community and he became a great talent in a small working black community. Ray shot to fame with the song Do the mess around which was released in 1953 this released him from playing in jazz clubs and being cheated by his managers, his life got better and his career got bigger and with Ray rolling with the punches and not letting the loss of sight stopping him from doing what he did best; playing the piano and he did this up until the year he died in 2004 with a career spanning 57 years.