Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Description

This image depicts musician Ray Charles playing the piano. Wearing a light colored tuxedo with a lighter stripe down the pant leg, a black bow tie, and sunglasses, he sits on a piano bench with a microphone in front of him. His arms are raised to play, but his hands and the majority of the piano is in shadow. Light falls primarily on his face and upper torso, while the rest of the image is in shadow. His face is angled upward and turned slightly towards the microphone.

Photograph by

Robert Houston, American, born 1935

Subject of

Ray Charles, American, 1930 - 2004

Date

1980

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Robert and Greta Houston

Medium

digital

Dimensions

H x W: 16644pixels × 12142pixels

Type

portraits

digital images

digital media - born analog

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Object number

2014.116.20

Topic

African American

Jazz (Music)

Men

Photography

Rhythm and blues (Music)

Soul (Music)

Place depicted

Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, North and Central America

Restrictions & Rights

© Robert Houston