Born in a poor town in Georgia, Ray Charles at the age of seven shortly after his younger brother's accidental . Inspired by a fiercely independent mother who insisted he make his own in the world, Charles found his and his behind a piano . Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a and then exploded with fame when he incorporating gospel, country, jazz and orchestral influences into his style. As he revolutionized the way people appreciated music, he simultaneously fought in the very clubs that him and championed artists' within the corporate music business.