The
U.S Postal Service is honoring musician Ray Charles with his own Forever stamp,
the third issuance in the Music Icons series.
This
extraordinary composer, singer, and pianist, blind since the age of seven, went
beyond category, blending blues, gospel, country, jazz, and soul music in a
unique and highly influential pop music style. His many hits included “I’ve Got
a Woman,” “Georgia on My Mind,” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.”
Looking
back over the course of his long career, there seemed little Charles couldn’t
do. His work spanned almost the entire breadth of American music and brought
him 17 Grammy Awards, plus an award for lifetime achievement in 1987. His many
other prizes include the National Medal of Arts (1993), the Polar Music Award
(1989), and the Kennedy Center Honors in 1986. That same year, he was inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The
stamp sheet was designed to evoke the appearance of a vintage 45 rpm record
sleeve. One side of the sheet includes the stamps and the image of a record
appearing to peek out of the top of the sleeve. A larger version of Charles’
photograph and the Music Icons series logo appear on the reverse side.
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