Died at 95
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Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), better known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business.” Rolling Stone ranked Charles number 10 on their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" in 2004, and number two on their November 2008 list of "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In honoring Charles, Billy Joel noted: "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley. I don't know if Ray was the architect of rock & roll, but he was certainly the first guy to do a lot of things . . . Who the hell ever put so many styles together and made it work?"
John Wayne is a former football player who tries to box in his spare time. He is already at 50 and his results are several wins against local opponents, but they are not good enough for his coach to be satisfied with. At that time, however, happiness smiles at Wayne. To the world boxing champion, Charles Drederick, his opponent gives up an agreed match for two WBA and IBF titles, and he needs to find a replacement. Drederick declares that he will give any boxer a chance to beat him in the ring and become a world champion. John Wayne, despite his wife's insistence, takes it as a challenge and finds a new coach, a former champion, James Sullivan, and begins to work like a future heavyweight champion, but is it enough? Before the agreed duel of John with the champion Drederick, he will face the Indian champion, Amrit Ravel, to show that he has what it takes to box for the title, John defeated him by K.O. in 7th round. But no one still trusts him and gives him no chance. Although John Wayne knows he has no chance to beat him, he is determined to endure all fifteen rounds of the match. He enters the match as a complete outsider. John's wife Rose is afraid, but in the end she stands by him and supports. John in the ring gives Drederick a lot of work but loses narrowly to points, John is a hero and he doesn't give up. John competes for IBO with Larry Ellis 2 months later, wins K.O. in 5th round and challenges Drederick to retaliation.
