Rays Childhood; Category 1; Entry 1

 Rays Childhood Family

            Ray was born on September 23, 1930 in Albany, Georgia; his original birth name was Ray Charles Robinson. His origin was in Greenville, Florida. He was born to a woman by the name of Aretha Robinson (maiden name of Williams) whom was a sharecropper. His Father’s name was Bailey Robinson whom was a railroad repair man, mechanic, and a handyman. Aretha Williams was a devout Christian and the family attended the New Shiloh Baptist Church. While Ray was still an infant the family ended up moving from Georgia, and to the poorer black community in Greenville, Florida. When Ray was younger he had an interest in mechanics, he often would sit and watch the other people in the neighborhood working on their cars and the farm tractors and machinery. He later became interested in music when he would go down to Mr. Wiley Pits Red Wing Café and listen to Pit paying on an upright piano. Mr. Pit would care for Rays little brother George trying to take the burden off of the Williams. Although that would soon come to an end.