Ray Charles

Editors’ Notes Also known as Hallelujah I Love Her So, this 1962 release compiles the hits Charles had for the Atlantic label, the ones that first put this "Genius of Soul" on the map. Songs such as "This Little Girl of Mine" and "Sinner's Prayer" would be the first time audiences heard gospel twisted into jazzy, bluesy R&B, turning spiritual moments into secular performances. The salacious moans on Ray's first big hit, "I Got a Woman," sent some gospel fans scampering for their Bibles, but the energy beaming off his performances connected with a larger, more understanding audience.