L.A. Contributes to Ray Charles Memorial

 

Ray Charles, a musical icon, performed for over 50 years. His first ?EUR??,,????'??hit?EUR??,,????'?? was the 1954 recording of "I Got a Woman."




A clay model of the life-size sculpture of Ray Charles will be cast in bronze.

The late Ray Charles grew up in Greenville, Fla., a town of about 850 residents 40 miles east of Tallahassee. As a tribute to the performer, the city is erecting a life-size cast in bronze sculpture of Ray seated at the piano keyboard, due for unveiling Feb. 18, 2006. The statue?EUR??,,????'???s home will be Haffye Hays Park on U.S. 90.

The statue was sculpted by the Jefferson County father-and-son team of Bradley Cooley and Bradley Cooley. Landscape architect Winston Lee waived his fee to design a marble base and brick patio for the statue.