2004
Ray Charles died due to acute liver disease at his home in Los Angeles, California. Charles helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960’s. His 1962 album, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music and its sequel Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vol. 2, helped to bring country into the mainstream of music. His version of the Don Gibson song, “I Can’t Stop Loving You” topped the Pop chart for five weeks.