Aug. 24: Ray Charles Post Office Building, Near Site of Historic Studios, to Be Named in Honor of Music Legend

Aug. 24: Ray Charles Post Office Building, Near Site of Historic Studios, to Be Named in Honor of Music Legend

LOS ANGELES, July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The legendary Ray Charles, who would have been 75 years-old on Sept. 23, will soon have a post office named in his honor, at 4960 W. Washington Blvd., near the site of his original and historic Los Angeles studios, it was announced by Congresswoman Diane Watson (CA-33).

President Bush officially signed the Ray Charles post office bill into law on Tuesday, July 12, 2005.

An official naming ceremony for the "RAY CHARLES POST OFFICE BUILDING" will take place at 2PM on Wed., Aug. 24.

"Despite his enormous success, artistically and financially, Ray Charles was a humble man," says Joe Adams, Charles' manager for more than 45 years.

"He was a man of the people, so this is a wonderful tribute; he loved America and it's fitting that the country recognizes him as a national treasure."

"Ray Charles was a giant among artistic giants," said Congresswoman Diane E. Watson (CA-33rd), the author of federal legislation designating the postal facility as the Ray Charles Post Office Building. "It is my hope that the Ray Charles Post Office will be only the first of many posthumous honors for this great American treasure."

Since 1964, Charles headquartered his worldwide business offices and recording studios on Washington Blvd., just a stones throw away from the soon to be re-named postal facility.

Over the years, numerous music luminaries from around the globe have recorded at the Washington Blvd. locale under Ray's supervision and some of his greatest hits, such as "Georgia On My Mind," which was among his many Grammy(R) Awards, were made in these historic studios, which are now planned as the Ray Charles Museum.

The city recently designated the building as a cultural landmark.

Scenes for the recent film, "Ray," starring Jamie Foxx, were also shot there.

An exhibit of Charles memorabilia concludes next month at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and will relocate to Nashville for a year-long exhibit saluting Charles' multi-genre career, starting in March, 2006, at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

On Sept. 22, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, will induct a collection of Charles artifacts into its permanent collection.

Charles, who died June 10, 2004, at age 73 years old, was posthumously awarded eight GRAMMY(R) awards for "Genius Loves Company," the hugely popular duets album on Concord Records which has sold nearly four million units.

An accomplished pianist and songwriter, Charles was considered the creator of the soul music genre, a unique R&B forerunner to rock n' roll and other musical offspring.

Charles starred on over 250 albums in a variety of musical genres.

Among his memorable hits are "What'd I Say," "I Got A Woman," "Georgia," "Born To Lose," "Hit the Road Jack" and "I Can't Stop Loving You."

A CBS TV concert, "Genius, A Night To Remember," which aired in Oct., was just nominated for an Emmy(R) Award.

Source: Ray Charles Enterprises

CONTACT: Jerry Digney or Elaine Pacheco of SOLTERS & DIGNEY, +1-323-651-9300, for Ray Charles Enterprises

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