Album of the Day

On this day in 1952, Ray Charles entered the Atlantic Records studio in New York to make his first recordings for the label. Not yet “Brother Ray” (he was 21 at the time), Charles' work would be doled out on singles; Atlantic didn't get into the LP business until five years later. Which means that Ray Charles' self-titled 1957 debut album (later rereleased as HALLELUJAH I LOVE HER SO) was culled from years of hits - among them R&B Top Tens “Mess Around,” “Drown In My Own Tears” and the iconic “I Got A Woman.” With ace Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler at the helm for these sessions, quality control was pretty high, and the instrumental arrangements match the brilliance of the singing. The protean performer still had nearly fifty years ahead of him, but the volcanic RAY CHARLES proves his genius was there from the start.