Soul legend Charles dies

Ray Charles, the singer credited with developing the soul sound, died yesterday aged 73.

Charles - known for such hits as What'd I Say, Georgia On My Mind and I Can't Stop Loving You - overcame childhood poverty, blindness and heroin addiction to become one of America's most enduring talents.

He died at his home in Beverly Hills, from complications following liver disease. The singer was blinded by glaucoma at six but overcame his condition to learn many instruments, including the piano.

Charles was orphaned at 15 and grew up playing r'n'b and gospel before merging the two to help define the soul sound. He won nine of his 12 Grammy Awards between 1960 and 1966, during which time he also dabbled in country, jazz and blues. He was arrested for heroin possession in 1965. 'His sound was stunning,' singer Van Morrison said recently. 'It was the blues, it was r'n'b, it was gospel, it was swing - it was all the stuff I was listening to before that but rolled into one.'