February 18th, 1959 ~ Ray Charles - What'd I Say

February 18th, 1959 – Ray Charles records the Rhythm & Blues hit What’d I Say at the Atlantic Records studio in New York City. Created when Ray improvised to fill time at a Brownsville, Pennsylvania gig in December of ’58 when the band had completed their set list early, it is one of the first songs of what would become known as “Soul”. Banned by many black and white radio stations due to the controvertial lyrics, What’d I say earned Ray his first gold record and became one of the most influential songs in R&B and Rock & Roll. Rolling Stone ranked it #10 on their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time - with good reason, as it directly inspired members of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and countless others who would become rock legends themselves.


With such a large influence on what would become the greatest rock & roll groups during the next decade, "What If" Ray Charles' set list had not run short and caused him to improv this "game changing" song?

Potentially, no Beatles or Rolling Stones as we know them. How would that have affected the "counter culture" of the '60's?

Or would some of the smaller, popular groups of the era have filled the gap?



*Yeah, I'm new, but I've been lurking off and on for a while now. Always intrigued by history and "what if". My work signature is a new historical event every day, and today's history prompted me to make my first post.

Thanks!

Mike B.
 
Top