Sporting his trademark shades, a brilliant yellow, ruffled tuxedo shirt, and a dark jacket decorated with bright paisleys, the legendary singer and piano player delivered the distinctive blend of gospel, country, soul, and R&B that has made him into a household name. Charles, who is sixty-seven, began his career in the 1940s, but twelve Grammys later he can still belt out "Georgia," "Baby, Please Don't Go," "Busted," and a touching, delicate version of "America the Beautiful" as though in search of his first recording contract.
Almost 6,000 tickets were sold for this year's concert, about 2,000 more than usual, Weatherhead reports. Extra tables were added in front of Sayles Hall and on either side of the Green to accommodate the overflow, and a Jumbotron screen was fired up for the benefit of concertgoers with distant seats.
The tables may have been packed a little tight, and the drink service may have been a bit slow, but as soon as the lights caught the ruffles on Charles's shirt no one noticed anything but the music. By the opening chords of his third song, he had the crowd on its feet, dancing in the aisles and in the scant spaces between the tables.
"Guys from my band are always saying, `People ask me, "What's Ray really like?"'" Charles said to the crowd near the end of his one-hour set. "I came up with a little tune so you can all know what I'm really like." After cueing up his band with an almost imperceptible nod, Charles sang: "They say I'm living too fast but I feel fine, I just keep dreaming along in three-four time."
