Ray Charles Honored on U.S. Postage Stamp

posted in: Music News

The contributions that Ray Charles made to the history of music cannot be overstated. He forever changed the face of pop music and helped influence what the genre could become long after his death. Now, thanks to the United States Postal Service, his memory lives on in a new way.

Starting today (Monday, September 23), The USPS will begin selling a Ray Charles commemorative stamp as part of the Music Icons series that had previously honored Johnny Cash. The launch coincides with Charles’ birthday, and in honor of the occasion there are two separate stamp events taking place across the nation: one at Morehouse College’s Ray Charles Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia “ the state where Charles was born “ and the other at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.

Here’s what the stamp looks like:

The design for this commemorative stamp was completed by Neil Ashby and based on a photograph by Yves Carrí¨re. When asked about the direction he took with the design, Ashby responded, “I was looking for that smile, that slight cock of the head “ that almost rapturous expression he had when he performed.”

The Ray Charles commemorative stamp is not the only Charles-related offering being presented to consumers this week. A new compilation of standards and live collaborations, titled Ray Charles Forever, hits stores September 24.