let the discussion begin

"Best Blind Genuis"





sorry,but the title of this thread cracks me up,for some reason

I prefer Stevie Wonder by far. I really can't give an honest opinion because I have never cared for Ray Charles' music. I'm sure Ray is very talented and no doubt a genius but I have never like the sound of his voice and I have always found his music extremely depressing and boring.

This is in no way a "diss" to Mr. Charles, he is definately one of the greatest artists of all time, he's just not my "taste" and Stevie is.

ok i got to say Stevie because ray and all his rocking on those chairs in the Quincy Jones video made me think he might fall and might have a seizure no offense to the dead but it was running through my head a lot but stevie has a lot of soul in his music and thats how i like my music

I'd say Ray Charles. I love his voice more than I do Stevie's voice; both are great, of course, but Ray Charles "moves me" and it's just something about the way he sings that makes my eyes water and my cheeks burn. It's a feeling I can't explain.

TheDreamingPeasant said:

Yes, my cheeks burn, too and my eyes water just from the way he says certain things. His voice, to me, is better than Stevie's voice. Yes, they both are great, but I'd go with Ray Charles. I can't listen to Ray C. without getting tears in my eyes.

hey, now... what about Ronnie Milsap?

Why not add Jose Feliciano to the list of who's "best"?

Wow, this is a tough one. Personally I'm a bigger stevie fan by far, in fact I'm probably a bigger fan of stevie than anyone else (rivaled only by Duke and Prince as my favorite artist of all time). However, Stevie, and R&B as we know it, would not exist without Brother Ray. He synthesized jazz, blues and gospel in a way no one ever has before or since. On the other hand though, Stevie was a more proficient multi-instrumentalist, and he never did drugs or womanized like Ray, but those latter things don't make him the better musical genius (just the better person in their personal life). I think they're pretty even, but I think I'm giving a lot of "pioneer" credit to Ray. It's kinda like comparing Chuck Berry to the Beatles, the inventor of the genre vs. it's gretest exemplar.

Supernova said:

LOL I was just about mentioning his name

jacktheimprovident said:

Why is everyone saying STEVIE? I know people have their opinions, but it is as if everyone is CONDITIONED to say STEVIE. STEVIE is great, too, but I can put on RAY any time of the day and never get tired of him, now I can't say that about STEVIE. I have some Stevie CDs, but I have to be in the MOOD to hear Stevie whereas with RAY, I can put on a song of his and I just keep rewinding it. Ray has this way about him! There is something that makes me shake my head and think: why aren't there men like you around today!

LittleLamb said:

Who said I chose Stevie? My response was very equivocal. I really can't chose. All I said that was that personally I was a bigger fan of Stevie, not that I necessarily would consider him the greater artist. For one thing i have so much more stevie than Ray, it could be that I just need more of "The Genius" in my collection. Stevie's made more music of a greater variety, while Ray has made more far-reaching, influential contributions to music and his music is more raw/earthy.

What does being blind have to do with making music ?

Ray




he is it.

I prefer Stevie slightly, but you can't really say one is better than the other. Both are true geniuses of music.

Dewrede said:

makes you a genius, apparently

David Blunkett



(in the sense of "evil genius", obviously.....)

Okay, go listen to "ALL TO MYSELF ALONE" by Ray Charles and you will forget all about Stevie, well not forget, but you'll fall in love with Ray Charles. Listen to that song and oh, boy, you'll love it. My heart does flip flops just thinking of this song!

"Seems just like I have
nothing to live for
except the troubles ...." (sing it Ray Charles!)

Oh, every time I play this song, it's as though I'm in a scene of a good movie. Oh, just go and listen to it! It'll put you into some kind of mood ... a mood that I can't put my finger on. It makes me want to find a time machine, hop inside, and go back and meet a musician. They don't make 'em like that anymore!

Oh, I've got my head in the clouds ....

Dewrede said:

"Blind" is the qualifier. There are many artists out there who could fit into the label of genius..this just significantly limits the list. However, the fact that they are blind adds a certain level of "God-given talent" that others did not have to overcome

both are great. don't make me choose.

meltwithu said:

It's hard to chose between Stevie and Ray b/c either way you are talking about talented geniuses. But since we are on the topic ofgreat blind performers, I also would like to add Clarence Carter to the list.
[Edited 11/4/04 10:29am]

TheDreamingPeasant said:

OH, I love this song! Yes, this is what makes me PICK RAY! This song and LONELY AVENUE.

Sdldawn said:

Ray SUX castrated cow sacs

Stevie

anbesol said:

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

anbesol said:

You suck castrated cow sacs but, we are not holding against you. Once again remove yourself from a thread about RnB music if you don't care for it. Stop embarrassing yourself.

MrTation said:

back at ya