Ray Charles News

With the passing of Fred Ebb, Onna White and, most recently, Cy Coleman, the 'death comes in threes' superstition seems to have a sorrowful twinge of truth.

Billy Elliot gets great reviews, a Ray Charles tribute opens, a Motown tribute opens, first-time playwrights invited to write West End play and rumours fly!

His is a career with many firsts, from being the first actor to don a Phantom's mask, to the original Jean Valjean, to the first albums of Evita and Jekyll & Hyde. Now, he's focusing on concerts, and his newest CD - Some of My Best Friends Are Songs.

Sh-k-Boom records announced today that the song 'Joy to the World' on the 'Great Joy! A Gospel Christmas' album has just been nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Instrumental Arrangement / Accompanying Vocalist.' Other nominees in this category include 'Over The Rainbow' arranged by Victor Vanacore (Ray Charles & Johnny Mathis performer), and 'Unchained Melody' arranged by Steve Gaboury, Cyndi Lauper & Don Sebesky (Cyndi Lauper performer).

Broadway singer Glenn Rainey of Disney's Beauty and the Beast will perform classic R&B hits on December 13th, 2004 in an original show called 'Blue-Eyed Soul' at the Triad theatre on West 72nd Street at 9:15pm. This special one night only event will be a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.