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Widely recognized as the “Genius of Soul,” Ray Charles also occupies a powerful place in country music history. He brought increased attention and respect to country music with the 1962 release of his album “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music.” His soulful renditions of “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” “You Don’t Know Me,” and “Born to Lose” helped those songs become standards. The significance of Charles’s choice of material was not lost on Willie Nelson. “Here’s Ray Charles doing country songs,” Nelson recalled, “introducing those songs to millions and millions of people who, otherwise, would have never had a chance to hear them.” Charles embraced R&B, jazz, blues, pop, and country music with equal fervor, and during a career that spanned nearly six decades, he stamped each genre with his distinctive and moving style. He made country songs a significant part of his repertoire from the 1960s onward. He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2021. Photo by Beverly Parker.