Ray Charles’ Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two

Ray Charles’ Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two is a must have for any music lover. This album features some of Ray’s best known songs, including “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and “Born to Lose.”

Introduction

Ray Charles was one of the most important and influential musicians of the 20th century. A pioneer in both the jazz and blues genres, he also helped to shape the sound of country music with his 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music.

Volume Two of Modern Sounds was released in 1963 and continued to explore the intersection of country and soul music. Featuring covers of classics like “You Don’t Know Me” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” the album is a must-listen for any fan of Ray Charles or country music.

The Making of Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two

In the summer of 1962, Ray Charles and his band holed up in Hollywood’s RCA Victor studios to cut an album of country and western songs. The results, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, were nothing short of revolutionary.

The Recording Sessions

Ray Charles began recording his Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music album on February 5, 1962, at Western Recorders in Hollywood, California. The Recording Sessions were produced by Sid Feller and engineered by Stan Ross. The musicians on the album included Irving Ashby (guitar), Hank Crawford (alto saxophone), David “Fathead” Newman (tenor saxophone), Raymond Hill (tenor saxophone), Willie Bridges (baritone saxophone), Milt Turner (drums), Melvin Lastie (cornet), Chuck Berghofer (bass), and Ralph Carmichael (string arrangements and conductor).

The sessions lasted for nine days, during which time Charles and the band recorded seventeen songs. The tracks were recorded in a variety of styles, including country (“I Can’t Stop Loving You”), blues (“You Don’t Know Me”), gospel (“Take These Chains from My Heart”), and pop (“Careless Love”). Charles’s unique approach to the material – blending different genres to create a new sound – was an important factor in the album’s commercial success.

The album was released in May of 1962 and quickly rose to the top of the charts, becoming one of the best-selling records of all time. It remains an important part of Charles’s legacy and is considered one of the most influential country albums ever made.

The Release

Ray Charles’ Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two was released on May 26, 1963 on ABC Records. The album was recorded in Nashville with Ray’s longtime backing band, The Raeletts, and featured cover versions of popular country songs like “Crying Time” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” The album received critical acclaim and became a commercial success, reaching #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and selling over a million copies. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two is considered to be one of the greatest country & western albums of all time.

The Legacy of Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two

Many people don’t know that Ray Charles had a profound impact on country and western music. His album, “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music,” was a huge hit and helped to bridge the gap between the two genres. The album was so successful that he released a follow-up, “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two.” This album was just as successful as the first and cemented Ray Charles’ place in music history.

Critical Reception

Ray Charles’ album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Volume Two was released on June 7, 1963 on ABC Records. The album was a sequel to his 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, which became one of Charles’ best-selling albums and helped revive his career.

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Volume Two peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and at number one on the Cashbox chart. The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Critical reception for the album was positive. Billboard magazine praised Charles for his “soulful” interpretations of country standards, while Cashbox magazine called the album a “testament to [Charles’] artistry.” In a contemporary review for The Guardian, Brian Boyd praised Charles’ voice and said that the album “might just be the best country & western record ever made.”

Two singles were released from the album: “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and “Take These Chains from My Heart”. Both singles peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Commercial Success

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music was an enormous success, reaching the top of the Billboard pop album chart and selling over a million copies within months of its release. It also proved to be one of Charles’ most influential recordings, with its innovative blend of country, pop, and rhythm & blues helping to paved the way for the “countrypolitan” sound of Nashville in the 1970s.

Influence on Country and Western Music

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music is a studio album by American musician Ray Charles, released on April 3, 1962 by ABC-Paramount Records. The album departed musically from Charles’ previous work in rhythm and blues, in favor of a more country sound that blended rhythm and blues with honky tonk and the Nashville sound.

After the success of his “cover version” of Hank Snow’s 1952 song “I’m Movin’ On”, which topped both the country and pop charts, ray charles decided he would like to try his hand at recording a full country album. And so he went to Nashville, where he recorded this remarkable group of songs over three days in January 1962. The resulting album was an across-the-board smash, selling nearly two million copies, topping the pop charts for 14 weeks (a record for a non-compilation or non-movie soundtrack album that would stand until 1971) and winning four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, making Charles the first African American to receive that honor.

The success of Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music revitalized Charles’ career and signaled a new direction for country music as a whole. The album proved so popular that it single-handedly created demand for what came to be known as the “Nashville sound,” a style of smooth, polished country music characterized by close harmonies, string section accompaniment, and…