This collection contains Ray Charles' greatest hits. Among the favorites are 'What'd I Say' , 'Georgia on my mind' 'Ruby' 'Hallelujah I just love her so'. For me what is important is those songs which I have heard over and over again, and which the re-hearing of brings pleasure in. It is not important to me that all the songs have that quality. In fact even with the best people, like Ray Charles it is only a small portion of the total work which plays again and again in the mind.
Ray Charles had incredible soul and feeling. And it is that feeling which makes his music so moving and enjoyable.

I chose this collection for its wide range of Ray's career hits. Some of which I had never heard before, like "Mess Around." This was before the film was released of course. All time favorites of mine include, "What'd I Say" "One Mint Julep" "Night Time Is The Right Time" and "Hit The Road Jack." A true American Icon, Ray's genius continues through his recordings, for they are timeless. Not much else missing on this one.

Very good album......can't say enough about it. Ray had such style in his music....I can listen to it over and over.

I purchased this CD set halfway through watching Ray (a tremendous movie) - I didn't have any Ray Charles music and was amazed at the talent I was hearing. These discs capture Ray at almost every stage of his illustrious career, and have a great mix of up-tempo R&B and slow, smooth soul. If you don't have any Ray Charles music, this is a great place to start. I highly recommend this collection.

Probably not like a lot of people, I was really introduced to the music of Ray Charles from the recent movie. This CD really just tickled my tummy wanting more from the master. Besides the smooth sound, I liked that the music wasn't one particular genre. I would recommend this CD to the novice and the veteran music lover.

This Ray Charles collection is really good. I've just started getting into his music a lot. I bought this collection and I bought a collection called The One and Only which, is so so but, has a bunch a songs not on this collection. Really miss having Bye Bye Love on here though.

STUNNING collection of Ray's ABSOLUTE BEST! Recommend this particular set for anyone who's trying to capture this artist's classics in one set. Tracks are bright & clear, sound is extremely rich. You will not be disappointed!

Yet, it has been more than two years ago since the unfortunate death of the great Ray Charles. Thankfully, a lot of the younger generation is finally welcoming the bluesy soul driven singer for over 50 years. His music has definitely delivered in the Jamie Foxx movie Ray, and his recent status success of his posthumous Album Of The Year Grammy win for his well-recognized duets album, Genius Loves Company. Although his recent return to music has been a staus that hasn't been forgotten, it is always the past that has made Ray Charles a legend. Now, his legacy is showcase on one unique album.

Ray Charles 1999 Ultimate Hits Collection is a well-organized reflection of one of the most influential soul singers of the 50's and 60's. Arguably, the album does reflect Ray extremely well in his career. The double album of songs includes classic standards that Ray has made famous like Georgia On My Mind, Hit The Road Jack, the down to Earth bluesy Busted, You Don't Know Me, Ray's first hit song, Mess Around, his collaboration with Quincy Jones and Chaka Khan on I'll Be Good To You, and his soulfully rendered edition of the America The Beautiful. The songs have all been remastered very well, and define Ray very well. Yet, there are a few downsides to this album, the album does overlook a few good tracks Ray had performed like his rendition of Baby Grand with Billy Joel, and a few other great tracks as well.

All in all, Ray Charles: Ultimate Hits Collection is a great buy for die hard Ray Charles fans, or anybofy who doesn't own a record from the original genius. I really am starting to get into this great music, because I am just tired of a lot of acts today like Britney Spears, Ashanti, Usher and Kelly Clarkson. This is a great buy for anybody who has the urge to feel the classic soul of those early days.

Album Cover: B+

Songs: B+

Price: A 1/2-

Remastering: A 1/2-

Overall: B 1/2+

This cd has introduced me to some new Ray Charles that I wouldn't have heard otherwise. However, I feel the Ray movie soundtrack, has better versions of some of these songs.

The songs on this collection sound great, every one of them belongs here, BUT any collection that leaves off "I Don't Need No Doctor" leaves off what is probably Ray Charles' finest cut (not to mention the finest rock 'n roll song to include the word "lotion"). It's like a Buddy Holy compilation without "Everyday" on it or an Elvis compilation without "That's All Right". Unacceptable as a greatest hits package.

Back to the drawing board with this one.

P.S.
For those of you voting this as "unhelfpul", are you retarded? How is it possible that pointing out such an important omission could be considered "unhelfpul"? Are you even reading the review?

I purchased this for my Dad for Christmas. He loved it!

This is the best Ray Charles collection. It's got all the hits and they are all the original recordings.

First of all I'd like to say that Ray Charles impact on especially Soul-Music was immense, It may be hard to understand today, but it really was, His music started the way to so many other artists later on. Ray did it all, R&B and Gospel, Jazz-Blues, Country. His music was going to shift alot through the years. He was a musical genious, and could play it all, and his singing style became one of the most identifiable during his time. Ray was also one of the first black artists that got mainsteam hits. Songs like "Georgia On My Mind" "What'D'I Say" "Unchain My Heart" and "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "Hit the Road Jack". He even did a great soul cover of the Beatles "Eleanor Rigby". However it was the early R&B songs that made him famous, Ray's career started to decline a little commercially after the mid 60's but either way he remained a legend and pioneer for Modern Soul music.

I suppose some of you that got into him lately, saw the fantastic movie "Ray" where Jamie Foxx portraited Ray so well that he won an academy award for his job. In that movie you'll get to hear alot of old Ray songs, and many of them appear here aswell. The problem with Ray collections is that alot of songs often are missing. He certainly recorded alot of hit-songs through his career and it would be impossible to have them all on just 1 or 2 discs, unfortunately that is the reason why many collections feels inadequate, This one however have most of his big hits and should be regarded as one of the better collections for sure. A Should have!

Ray Charles's music is so genuine. It gives you an opportunity to become overtaken by the gospel without the church.

This is the one collection which included "Hit the Road Jack" and that made it worth buyingfor me!

I've always liked Ray Charles' music but never owned any of it. Watching the the movie "Ray" inspired me to purchase this 2 CD set and I can't stop listening to it. There are certain tunes I like better than others but they truly are all wonderful to listen to. Even my kids (aged 7 and 10) like to listen to it and have their own favorite songs. "Hit the Road Jack" is one of their favorites and I'm asked to play it everytime they get into my car. This will be one of those CD's that I'll treasure and play for a long time.

i sat in my livingroom and read the nice little booklet that came with this set and i turned up the volume and made me a drink and i was in Ray Heaven! i loved all the songs on this wonderful CD. except 2 songs: "Yesterday" and "7 Spanish Angels" some of Ray's country songs i like, but that "7 Spanish Angels" i just was not crazy about. and i think he should have chosen another Beatles tune, like "Elanor Rigby" or "I Give Her All My Love". "Yesterday", i just did not feel it. Maybe i need to listen to it again. also there was some surprises on this CD set too. like the song "Greenbacks". i'm now 45 years old. i remember my father having that song on an old 78 disc. i thought the clovers sung that song (my father had a collection of clovers songs on 78 as well) well, to my delight, i was surprised and happy to hear that song again and finding out that it was Ray Charles who sung it actually. and "Let's go get Stoned" i did not know that Ashford and Simpson wrote that song for Ray. they should have had that song in the movie. i loved that song. my favorite songs on threre was "Don't let the Sun Catch You Cryin" God that song was smooth! and so romantic. pass me a martini please!! and that raw and kicking "I got News For You" i really had to turn up the volume on that one. the horn section was out of this world! i would recommend this CD set highly. i'm going home to play it again and pour me another glass of a little sumpthin-sumpthin cause when you listen to the Big man, ya gotta have a good drink in your hand! ;-)

I've been a fan of Ray's since I first heard What'd I Say back in 1959. Later in college, I had a roommate who had an album with all his early stuff at Atlantic and I found it fascinating. Through the years however, it was always impossible to find a greatest hits package that featured his early Atlantic sides along with the latter ABC-Paramount hits. This one does it! The only qualms I have of course is that Ray's output was so prolific that there are going to be a couple of favorites left off, I wish it included "It Shoulda Been Me and "Mary Ann" (which is on the Ray soundtrack) both from the 50's Atlantic recordings. But if you are relatively new to the Genius of Ray Charles, this should fill your beak. The sound is excellent and it does feature every charted R & B and pop hit from the 50's to the 80's. All the great ones are here "georgia On My Mind" "What'd I Say", "Hit The Road Jack", "Unchain My Heart" etc. etc. This one is a keeper for life. Also the book that comes with it is outstanding , full of photos and info on recording dates, personnel etc. Well worth the price. There's 36 cuts here and they run to gamut from hard-core blues, rock, pop, lush ballads, and everything that may Ray an icon. What a voice from God he had! Rhino does it again!

If, after hearing even a quarter of it, you can't understand why this CD is absolutely essential listening to ANYONE who appreciates 20th century music, maybe you should stop listening to music altogether. It's that simple. Ray's influence on countless artists after him is topped only by perhaps 3 or 4 others, such as Armstrong and the Beatles. Yeah, he was THAT good.

I received this two disc set for Christmas, and have been listening to it every day for the last week. Every song you know and love. Can't be beat for the price, or the free shipping. I recommend pairing it with Queen Latifah's Dana Owens Album, excellent on random in the cd player, complements perfectly.

Who else but Ray Charles could take old country standards like "Take These Chains from My Heart," and "You are My Sunshine," and make them so completely his own? On "Chains" he not only sings but somehow performs it in such a way as to sum up how each of us feels when we are in that situation, and your heart breaks. But it isn't broken too long because you can turn to "You are my sunshine." Every song on this CD has Ray Charles exquisite signature on it and no one can match his ability to do this. I was saddened by his death, but legends never die. We have his lifetime of music and can discover new songs that will undoubtedly be released in new CD's to come.

There is one word that describes Ray Charles and his music...GENIUS.

The two CD set is a very fine tribute to the late Ray Charles. Although it contains his "ultimate hits" only, don't let that stop you--the complete gamut of Ray's brilliance is presented here. From the sexual "Mess Around" and "What'd I Say" to Ray's passionate and patriotic version of "America The Beautiful," this two CD set demonstrates the core of his ability to perform virtually any type of music. (He could also play classical music on the piano, just about the only style not included here.) Blues, country-western, jazz, romantic ballad--anything that could be done, Ray did to perfection!

I had some familiarity with Ray's work; but I learned so much more about him from this collection! His musical abilities are obvious throughout the two CDs. He can sing, play piano, use back up singers very well, and even do an awesome job with the instrumental "One Mint Julep." Listeners also get the treat of hearing Ray collaborate with Willie Nelson for the song "Seven Spanish Angels." Ray also worked with Quincy Jones and Chaka Khan to do "I'll Be Good To You."

Rhino went further, however, in adding a 48 page booklet by David Ritz detailing the events of Ray's childhood years as well as all the pertinent developments during his over five-year career. The book is well written and there are terrific black and white photos in the booklet of Ray with Frank Sinatra, Percy Mayfield and many others. One minor disappointment: almost all of the personal events of Charles' life are written of his childhood; there are only three or four very brief passing references to his personal life after that.

In addition, there are some nice pictures of Ray on the CD covers and the recording dates of each song are also listed in the 48 page book. The sound quality is excellent and the songs are almost entirely presented in chronological order.

I would highly recommend this two CD set and booklet for any Ray Charles fan, obviously, but also for fans of classic R&B and soul. There isn't much of his work here before 1954, but this still stands as the clear superlative anthology of his work that you could get in a two CD set. Fans of the "crooners" may also delight in Ray's talents! I write this as the 2004 holiday season approaches--and, even if it weren't this time of year--this also makes a great gift! A BUY! GRIN

There are plenty of Ray Charles compilations to choose from - some focusing on a particular era or a particular aspect of Ray's career. This particular compilation combines his fifties music (recorded for Atlantic) and his sixties music (recorded for ABC-Paramount) on one collection - it also includes a few tracks from more recent times.

The most famous of his early songs is probably the often-covered Hallelujah I love her so. What'd I say and I've got a woman are among the other great songs from Ray's fifties music that are included here. Ray wrote all three of those songs, although he also recorded songs written by others even then.

It is the sixties with which Ray will be forever associated and which is most strongly represented here. Despite Ray's ability to write his own songs, the two songs for which he is best remembered are both covers. Georgia on my mind is a Hoagy Carmichael song from 1931, while I can't stop loving you is a country song written by Don Gibson. In both cases, Ray did them his own way, broadening their appeal considerably.

I can't stop loving you was one of many country songs that Ray adapted to the R+B style. Some of his fans deserted him, but these recordings gained him more fans than he lost. What Ray showed was the main difference between different styles of music was the presentation - not the songs themselves. Among other country songs adapted to R+B are You don't know me, You are my sunshine, Take these chains from my heart, Busted, Crying time and Together again.

Among his other great recordings of the sixties are Hit the road Jack (with Margie Hendrix), Unchain my heart, Let's go get stoned, Yesterday and Eleanor Rigby.

After the sixties, Ray's success was limited, but he still had the talent. In 1984, he recorded a country album of duets with various country singers - it really was a country album, unlike his sixties covers. That album is represented here by Seven Spanish angels - a duet with Willie Nelson. Another (non-country) duets from the eighties, I'll be good to you (with Chaka Khan), rounds off the collection superbly.

This collection is one of the best compilations of Ray's music I've come across. It is worth noting that Rhino released a similar but not identical UK double CD (Definitive). Many of the songs are the same but I particularly like Baby it's cold outside (a duet with Betty Carter) and That lucky old sun, both of which only appear on the UK set. However, there are other great songs here that are missing from the UK set. Only dedicated Ray Charles fans will worry about the differences as all the essentials appear on both.

One of my earliest memories in life is seeing Ray Charles on television in the early 1960s. I was mesmerized. I still am. His voice packs more pathos, soul, wit, hurt, humor, grit, wisdom, heartache, and joy in one note than most singers acheive in a lifetime. Many of the songs we all love are on this collection, which moves from one landmark to the next, with the occasional lesser-known treasure or obscure gem. If there were a Mount Rushmore for 20th Century Vocalists, Ray Charles would be on it with Elvis, Sinatra, Johnny Cash, and Aretha. This collection offers many reasons why.

When a major radio station converted from middle-of-the-road music to oldies in the 1980s (the original "cool" ), it included some "roots" music and put songs and artists into categories to provide a good representation of "good time rock and roll". Problem was, one artist didn't fit into ONE category, so the station had to establish a Ray Charles category, for he covered so many corners of the world of music. From "I Got a Woman" on to ""Georgia" (an old song he made his own), "Hit the Road, Jack", "Unchain My Heart", hit after hit. Then came his "Modern Sounds" album from which the single "I Can't Stop Loving You" emerged as a monster hit. The word is Ray was advised not to use the song as its writer, renowned country singer Don Gibson, had had a million seller with it just a few short years earlier (when "country wasn't cool"). But it became the biggest hit to come out of the successful album. More country hits came along, the definitive version of "Busted", "Take These Chains from my Heart", Buck Owens' "Crying Time" and "Together Again". But Ray didn't stop there. His music covered the gamut.And is there a more touching rendition of "America the Beautiful" than his? I think not. It's good to have lived in a time where there was a Ray Charles. This one is worth the price. Bless you, Brother Ray.

brother ray, i know your in heaven,i love you and i miss you,hope to see you there. scabcat

Ray Charles was and still is one of the greatest musicians ever existed!!!!!!! He was also a great songwriter, arranger and producer and the person who wrote review from california needs to check his/her history BIG TIME!!!!!! Although I like "some" of todays artists, they can't TOUCH the chops of Ray Charles. Those cats out today aren't even in the same BALL PARK as "THE RAY"!!!!!!(PERIOD) Ray Charles influenced the musician in me that I am today!!!! Thank GOD for the gift of having such GENIUS that he WAS, IS and ALWAYS WILL BE!!!!!

The previous review of this great artist was written by someone who doesn't understand that genius comes in many forms. Interpretation is the source of musical performance. An artist need not write the music he performs. If that were the case, then we shouldn't listen to Mozart. The guy has been dead for centuries! In fact, considering some of the performers the previous reviewer mentioned, I'm not sure they should be writing or "singing" anything.

Ray Charles was a genius in interpretation of so many genres from gospel to country to blues to R&B to old-fashioned big band singing. He is an artist of the highest order and he will be missed.

This collection is outstanding in terms of the breadth of Ray's work. If you own one collection, buy this or the Ray Charles Anthology from Rhino Records

HE WAS A GREAT ARTIST I LOVED ALL HIS SONGS. HE WAS VERY GOOD SINGER SO I WILL MISS HIM VERY MUCH! GODS LOVES YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU RAY CHARLES YOU WILL BE MISSED!

Beethoven, Louis Armstrong, Diz and Bird, Coltrane, Willie Dixon...there's a select handful of artists who made major breakthroughs in their field. Ray Charles invented soul music, straight fact. Soul soon became the major influence on pop music. There's absolutely no way to imagine what music would sound like today without without Ray's influence. Give all due respect to the original, and be entertained and educated in the process. Ray Charles was as technically adept as any popular artist, but never let his virtuosity get in the way of the music's main goals, entertainment and beauty.

Ray Charles had more soul than any other artist in history.

Though he's gone, his contribution to the world is there for all of us to discover.

Ray Charles was that rare entertainer who demonstrated everytime he let loose in song that the man was as great as his music. Yes, we were enraptured for decades every time we heard that familiar, soul-filled voice...but we loved HIM. He didn't just have "soul"...he wrapped it up and tossed it like a salad through every lyric he interpreted. Who doesn't thrill at the short, recognizable piano chord introduction to I CAN'T STOP LIVING YOU, as we wait in sentimental anticipation for the chorus to chime "I can't stop loving you" followed by Ray's response,"I made up my mind" blending soulfully with those hurt-hearted strings. Wow...a real, stop-what-you're doing moment as your soul mingles awhile with Ray's.
Like Jackie Gleason, Ray Charles was larger than life, and it was his gift to us that he expressed that large life through his art. Ultimately, his Genius was in just being him...and we were blessed to have witnessed Brother Ray simply and sweetly doing just that all his life.

What's he say? For black folks, white folks, grey . . . didn't matter to Ray. His gift and talent will be sorely missed. What a voice, what songs! Brother Ray was the inspiration for my starting an R&B group in LA back in '91. We jokingly wished for a radio station to play "all Ray, all the time." We didn't get that wish but we did learn "Shoulda Been Me" and "Let's Get Stoned." My warmest thoughts and prayers go out to Ray up there in that "Big Jam in the Sky," and to Ray's family. What a treasure-trove of sweet music he gave us! God bless Ray Charles!