Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Personnel includes: Ray Charles (vocals, piano); David "Fathead" Newman (saxophone).
Enginners include: Gene Thompson, Bill Putnam, Johnny Cue.

Recorded in 1962-1963 at Capitol Studios, New York, New York; United Recording Studios, Hollywood, California; RPM International Studios, Los Angeles, California. Includes liner notes by Todd Everett.
Ray Charles had dabbled with country music at Atlantic, notably 'I'm Movin' On', but the move to ABC-Paramount prompted him to record a full album. His version of Don Gibson's 'I Can't Stop Loving You' was a transatlantic number 1 and not far behind his bittersweet performance of Eddy Arnold's 'You Don't Know Me'. Ray's own favourite was 'I Love You So Much It Hurts'. The album was so successful that he recorded a second volume and had hits with 'Take These Chains From My Heart' and 'Cryin' Time'. Although the album showed that black soul and white country could be merged, Ray Charles lost his momentum, tending to cruise along on the same theme and never again writing a song to equal 'What'd I Say'.