Like James Brown, Ray Charles has had a long and influential career; more, even than Brown, Brother Ray's music has run the gamut of styles, from blues, soul, and gospel to country and easy listening. Like "The Godfather," "The "Genius" was a proud gentleman, a prolific artist, an inexhaustible performer and, by all accounts, a stern taskmaster; both men broke ground during their first two decades and became institutions afterward - granite, unchanging monuments to their own accomplishments, the power of the American dream, and the deep traditions of black music. Ask almost anyone whom they most admire - James Brown, Ray Charles, or the president - I bet the politician comes in third every time.

Ray Charles began his career on several small labels, his records emulating his idols (Nat King Cole, Charles Brown) rather than staking their own claim. But things got interesting real fast when Ray switched to nascent Atlantic Records. His much vaunted fusion of gospel and R&B yielded, according to legend, soul music; the long string of brilliant singles that followed - "What'd I Say," "Hallelujah I Love Her So," "I Got A Woman," "Drown In My Own Tears," and more - sealed Charles' place in history, if not on the pop charts. Ray's most popular music was still ahead of him, but purists will cherish Rhino/Atlantic's 3-CD The Birth Of Soul: The Complete Atlantic Rhythm & Blues Recordings 1952-1959 (1991), which exhaustively chronicles his early, most creative years.

As the 60's dawned, Ray switched to ABC-Paramount and began to broaden his already expansive musical palatte. Regardless, the quality of his work continued unabated for years, and his popular Modern Sounds In Country & Western (1962) brought his sound to new and larger audiences. (Rhino's 1998 4-CD box, The Complete Country & Western Recordings 1959-1986, documenting those and other efforts is a godsend to those who favor this aspect of Ray's music.) By the 70's, Ray had largely said his due; his records were less successful, both artistically and commercially. He soldiered on, however, and was consistently riveting in performance - and could be on record, too; check out his 1975 Grammy-winning take on Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City." In his last several decades, Ray Charles - as humble as he was driven - grew comfortable with the legendary status he so richly deserved.

Rhino Records has access to all of Ray's recordings, and they've put out something for nearly every budget. Let's start at the top: Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection (1997) neatly stitches together highlights from Ray's hundreds of records for numerous labels into one magnificent box. It includes virtually every notable song from his 1949 debut through 1993's stately cover of "Still Crazy After All These Years," and the liner notes are inspiring and well annotated. I just can't speak too highly of this set - it should be enshrined on the National Mall next to the Lincoln Memorial!

Rhino's "highlights" package, The Ultimate Hits Collection (1999), is a powerhouse, too - ideal for consumers watching their pocketbooks. Just like The 50th Anniversary Collection, this 2-CD set starts at the beginning and stretches nearly to the end, and its lavish packaging very nearly matches the music. It's so good, in fact, that I can't recommend anything else of its ilk. Rhino's earlier discs, The Best Of Ray Charles: The Atlantic Years (1994) and Ray Charles Anthology (1990), covering his records for ABC-Paramount), were good, but they have been rendered superfluous by the Ultimate set. For an expensive sampler, Rhino's The Very Best Ray Charles (2000) is fine; it's companion, The Very Best Ray Charles Vol. 2, was released later the same year. But, if you want two CD's, spring for The Ultimate Hits Collection.

Finally, many of Ray's original albums have been reisssued on CD and will delight serious fans. Last time I checked, Amazon listed over 200 Ray Charles compact discs: acolytes of Brother Ray will have no trouble keeping busy.... Among the obvious highlights: The Genius Of Ray Charles (1959); Genius + Soul = Jazz (1960, arranged by Quincy Jones); Ray Charles Live (1990, encompassing two late 50's concert LP's); and Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul (1963). Ray died in 2004, having just completed an album of duets, Genius Loves Company.