Genius Loves Company

Genius Loves Company
Studio album by Ray Charles
Released	August 31, 2004
Recorded	June 2003–March 2004
Genre	Rhythm and blues, soul, country, blues, jazz, pop
Length	54:03
Label	Concord/Hear Music
Producer	John Burk Phil Ramone
Ray Charles chronology
Strong Love Affair (1996) Genius Loves Company (2004) Singles from Genius Loves Company "You Don't Know Me" Released: September 18, 2004 "Here We Go Again" Released: 2005

	"Here We Go Again" Ray Charles and Norah Jones' "Here We Go Again" from Genius Loves Company
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Genius Loves Company is the final studio album by rhythm and blues and soul musician Ray Charles, posthumously released August 31, 2004 on Concord Records.^[1] Recording sessions for the album took place between June 2003 and March 2004.^[2] The album consists of rhythm and blues, soul, country, blues, jazz and pop standards performed by Charles and several guest musicians, such as Natalie Cole, Elton John, James Taylor, Norah Jones, B.B. King, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson and Bonnie Raitt. Genius Loves Company was the last album recorded and completed by Charles before his death in June 2004. This album was released as a double LP in 2014, for a better and warmer sound than CD.

The album was produced by Concord A&R man, John Burk, who approached Charles with the concept of a duets album for a collaboration of Concord Records and Hear Music, the record label owned by the coffee chain Starbucks.^[3] It served as the first original non-compilation release by Hear Music,^[3] as well as one of Ray Charles' most commercially successful albums. On February 2, 2005, Genius Loves Company was certified triple-platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America following sales of over three million copies in the United States.^[4] On February 13, 2005, the album was awarded eight Grammy Awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. The cover featured an iconic image by photographer Norman Seeff. The Album of the Year award was presented to coproducer John Burk, who accepted on behalf of himself and coproducer Phil Ramone. (Ramone could not make the trip to Los Angeles for the Grammy ceremony.)

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[5]
Robert Christgau	A−[6]
The Daily Vault	A−[7]
Entertainment Weekly	(C)[8]
JazzTimes	(favorable)[9]
Mojo	[10]
PopMatters	(favorable)[11]
Rolling Stone	[12]
USA Today	[13]
Western Courier	B+[14]

Commercial performance

The release of Genius Loves Company was preceded by a period of mostly mediocre LP releases by Charles and critical slide after the massive success of his 1962 crossover opus Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music.^[15][16] Genius Loves Company proved to be a comeback success, in terms of sales and critical response, quickly becoming Charles' first top-10 album in forty years and the best-selling record of his career.^[17][18] The release of Genius Loves Company served as Charles' two-hundred fiftieth of his recording career, as well as his last recorded effort before his death on June 10, 2004.^[19]

Within its first week of release, the album sold over 200,000 copies in the United States alone,^[20] while it debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart, eventually ascending to #1 on March 5, 2005, becoming Charles' first #1 album since Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music in 1962.^[1] Genius Loves Company also received a significant amount of airplay on jazz, blues, R&B, urban contemporary and country radio stations, as well as critical praise from well-known publications and music outlets.^[19] By the first month of its release, the album had shipped over two million copies in the United States and shipped more than three million worldwide, receiving gold, silver and platinum certifications across North America, Europe and several other regions.^[19] The massive commercial success of the album (over 5.5 million copies were sold worldwide up to 2007)^[21] was attributed in part to it being distributed and promoted via Starbucks coffeehouses,^[3] as well as the distribution and marketing relationship between Concord Records and the Starbucks Hear Music label.^[19] The Starbucks Coffee Company proved to be singularly responsible for nearly thirty-percent of the total domestic sales of the album. Following several certifications of gold, platinum and multi-platinum in the United States during the fall of 2004, Genius Loves Company earned a triple-platinum sales certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 2, 2005.^[4]

For the week ending September 18, 2004, Genius Loves Company sold 202,000 copies, ranking second on the Billboard 200. This was Charles' highest charting album in over 40 years and represented an opening week record for a duets album (since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking such statistics in 1991). Frank Sinatra's 1993 Duets sold 339,000 during the Christmas week, eight weeks after its 173,500-unit opening. The initial shipment of 733,000 units was an all-time record for the 31-year history of Concord Records and the sales represented a Soundscan record for the company.^[22] In addition, the album placed at number five on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Charles' highest placement since A Portrait of Ray peaked at fifth in 1968.^[23] These albums sales occurred despite digital singles sales that saw 12 of the 13 tracks on the album make the Hot Digital Tracks Top 50 chart. The previous record for most tracks from the same album was 9 by Neil Young & Crazy Horse with their 2003 Greendale album. "Here We Go Again" was the download sales leader among the album's tracks, but the 12 tracks totaled 52,000 digital downloads.^[24][25]

Grammy Awards

In December 2004, announcements were made that the album had earned ten Grammy Award nominations.^[26] At the 47th Grammy Awards on February 13, 2005, Genius Loves Company led the annual ceremony with a total of eight awards, including Album of the Year, while its hit single "Here We Go Again" won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Awards won are as listed below:^[27]

• Grammy Award for Album of the Year: John Burk, Phil Ramone, Herbert Waltl, Don Mizell (producers), Terry Howard (producer & engineer/mixer), Robert Fernandez, John Harris, Pete Karam, Joel Moss, Seth Presant, Al Schmitt, Ed Thacker (engineers/mixers), Robert Hadley, Doug Sax (mastering engineers)
• Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album: Ray Charles and various artists
• Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: Robert Fernandez, John Harris, Terry Howard, Pete Karam, Joel Moss, Seth Presant, Al Schmitt & Ed Thacker (engineers)
• Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album: John Burk (Producer), Al Schmitt (surround mix engineer), Robert Hadley & Doug Sax (surround mastering)
• Grammy Award for Record of the Year: John Burk (producer), Terry Howard, Al Schmitt (engineers/mixers), Ray Charles & Norah Jones for "Here We Go Again"
• Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals: Ray Charles and Norah Jones for "Here We Go Again"
• Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals: Ray Charles and Elton John for "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" (nominated)
• Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance: Ray Charles & Gladys Knight for "Heaven Help Us All"
• Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): Victor Vanacore (arranger) for "Over the Rainbow" performed by Ray Charles & Johnny Mathis

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Here We Go Again" (with Norah Jones)	Don Lanier, Red Steagall	3:59
2.	"Sweet Potato Pie" (with James Taylor)	James Taylor	3:47
3.	"You Don't Know Me" (with Diana Krall)	Eddy Arnold, Cindy Walker	3:55
4.	"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (with Elton John)	Elton John, Bernie Taupin	3:59
5.	"Fever" (with Natalie Cole)	Eddie Cooley, John Davenport	3:30
6.	"Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?" (with Bonnie Raitt)	Billy Burnette, Michael Smotherman	4:34
7.	"It Was a Very Good Year" (with Willie Nelson)	Ervin Drake	4:59
8.	"Hey Girl" (with Michael McDonald)	Gerry Goffin, Carole King	5:15
9.	"Sinner's Prayer" (with B.B. King)	Lowell Fulson, Lloyd Glenn	4:25
10.	"Heaven Help Us All" (with Gladys Knight)	Ronald Miller	4:32
11.	"Over the Rainbow" (with Johnny Mathis)	Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg	4:54
12.	"Crazy Love" (with Van Morrison)	Van Morrison	3:42

10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
13.	"Mary Ann" (with Poncho Sanchez)	Ray Charles	5:05
14.	"Unchain My Heart" (with Take 6)	Teddy Powell, Bobby Sharp	4:06

Chart history

Album

Chart (2004)	Peak position[2]
Billboard 200	1
Top Canadian Albums	1
Top Internet Albums	1
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	4
UK Albums Chart	18

Singles

Single	Chart (2004)	Peak position
"You Don't Know Me"	U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	21
"Here We Go Again"	French Singles Chart	51
	Austrian Singles Chart	52

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
Canada (Music Canada)[28]	2× Platinum	200,000^^
Poland (ZPAV)[29]	Gold	20,000^*
United States (RIAA)[30]	3× Platinum	3,000,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Personnel

John Acevedo - Viola John Acosta - Cello Sai Ly Acosta - Violin Tawatha Agee - Vocals, Singer Abbey Anna - Design, Design Consultant Miguel Atwood - Ferguson Viola Briana Bandy - Viola Rick Baptist - Trumpet Michael Bearden - Keyboards Leanne Becknell- Oboe Brian Benning - Violin Brian Bennison - Copyist Robert Berg - Viola Wayne Bergeron - Trumpet David Blumberg - Arranger, String Arrangements Charles Boito - Clarinet Reverend Dave Boruff - Saxophone Ray Brinker - Drums Leslie Brown - Violin John Burk - Producer, Liner Notes, Executive Producer James Chip Burney - Choir, Chorus Rosemary Butler - Choir, Chorus Kristy Cameron - Design Ray Charles - Piano, Keyboards, Vocals, Author Daphne Chen - Violin Elenore Choate - Harp Tim Christensen - Double Bass Ronald Clark - Violin Janey Clewer - Choir, Chorus Reginald Clews - Violin Natalie Cole - Author, Guest Appearance Mark Converse - Percussion Larry Corbett - Cello Franklyn d'Antonio - Violin Charlie Davis - Trumpet Jill Dell'Abate - Production Coordination Greg Dennon - Assistant Engineer Joel Derouin - Violin Ken Desantis - Assistant Engineer Steve Deutsch - Digital Editing George Doering - Guitar Assa Dori - Concert Master Kevin Dorsey - Choir, Chorus Assa Drori - Concert Master DeAnte Duckett - Choir, Chorus Chris Dunn - A&R Clydene Jackson Edwards - Choir, Chorus Michael Eleopoulos - Assistant Engineer Alan Ellsworth - Violin Alicia Engley - Violin Charles Everett - Violin Dennis Farias - Trumpet Charles Fearing - Guitar Andrew Felluss - Assistant Engineer Robert Fernandez - Engineer Brandon Fields - Baritone Saxophone Kirstin Fife - Violin Stefanie Fife - Cello Mark Fleming - Engineer

Ronald Folsom - Violin Samuel Formicola - Viola Bruce Fowler - Trombone Tom Fowler - Bass Walt Fowler - Trumpet James Gadson - Drums Armen Garabedian - Violin Berj Garabedian - Violin Steve Genewick - Assistant Engineer Jim Gilstrap - Choir, Chorus Suzanna Giordono - Viola Gary Grant - Trumpet Nick Grant - Violin Keith Gretlein - Assistant Engineer Ken Gruberman - Copyist Amy Wickman Guerra - Violin Robert Hadley - Mastering Larry Hall - Trumpet Trevor Handy - Cello John Harris - Engineer David Hayes - Bass Xiao Niu He - Violin Trey Henry - Bass, Double Bass Scott Higgins - Timpani Gerry Hilera - Violin Mary Hogan - A&R Matt Holland - Trumpet Terry Howard - Producer, Engineer Greg Huckins - Flute Alexander Isles - Trombone Danny Jacob - Guitar John Jennings - Photography Elton John - Author, Guest Appearance Bashiri Johnson - Percussion Norah Jones - Piano, Author, Guest Appearance Tony Kadleck - Trumpet Hardi Kamsani - Assistant Engineer Pete Karam - Engineer Suzie Katayama - Cello Leslie Brown Katz - Violin Bill Kaylor - Assistant Engineer Jim Keltner - Drums Jaroslav Kettner - Violin Jeff Kievit - Trumpet David Kilbride - Violin B.B. King - Guitar, Author, Guest Appearance Gladys Knight - Author, Guest Appearance Raymond Kobler - Violin Diana Krall - Author, Guest Appearance Irvin "Magic" Kramer - Rhythm Guitar Johana Krejci - Violin John Krovoza - Cello Armen Ksadjikian - Cello Steve Kujala - Flute Lisa Laarman - Creative Director Abraham Laboriel - Bass Michael Landau - Guitar Timothy Landauer - Cello Songa Lee - Violin

Tricia Lee Violin David R. Legry - Liner Notes Martha Lippi - Cello Irene Madison - Choir, Chorus Paul Manaster - Violin Shawn Mann - Viola George Marinelli - Guitar, Photography Don Markese - Clarinet Edith Markman - Violin Michael Markman - Violin Andrew Martin - Trombone Fred Martin & the Levite Camp - Choir, Chorus Rob Mathes - Conductor Johnny Mathis - Author, Guest Appearance Robert Matsuda - Violin Bob McChesney - Trombone Clarence McDonald - Piano, Arranger Michael McDonald - Keyboards, Author, Guest Appearance Joe Meyer - French Horn Alethea Mills - Choir, Chorus Jeff Mironov - Guitar John Mitchell - Bassoon Don Mizell - Producer Dennis Molchan - Violin Suzette Moriarty - French Horn Charlie Morillas - Trombone Horia Moroaica - Violin Chavonne Morris - Choir, Chorus Seven Morris - Choir, Chorus Van Morrison - Author, Guest Appearance Joel Moss - Engineer Jennifer Munday - Violin Vitaliano Napolitano - Photography Willie Nelson - Guitar, Author, Guest Appearance Maria Newman - Viola Aminah Ofumbi - Choir, Chorus Igor Pandurski - Violin Alan Pasqua - Piano Todor Pelev - Violin Shawn Pelton - Drums Edward Persi - Viola Robert Peterson - Concert Master Casey Phariss - Assistant Engineer Darryl Phinnessee - Choir, Chorus Andrew Picken - Viola Charles Pillow - Tenor Saxophone Vladimir Polimatidi - Violin Seth Presant - Digital Editing Billy Preston - Hammond Organ Bonnie Raitt - Slide Guitar, Author, Guest Appearance Phil Ramone - Producer Shanti Randall - Viola Michele Richards - Violin Steve Richards - Cello David Riddles - Bassoon Carolyn Riley - Viola Kathleen Robertson - Violin

John "4 Daddman" Robinson - Drums Julie Rogers - Violin Anatoly Rosinsky - Violin Nancy Roth - Violin Robert Sanders - Trombone Tom Saviano - Saxophone Doug Sax - Mastering Kenny Scharf - Trumpet Al Schmitt - Engineer, Mixing, String Engineer Norman Seeff - Photography Richard Shaw - Double Bass Bob Shepard - Saxophone Dennis Shirley - Photography Jaime Sickora - Assistant Engineer Joel Singer - Assistant Engineer Jamie Siskkora - Assistant Engineer Patricia Skye - French Horn Bill Airey Smith - Assistant Wally Snow - Percussion Kurt Snyder - French Horn Joe Soldo - Contractor Jay Spears - Assistant Engineer Edmund Stein- Violin Rudolph Stein - Cello David Stenske - Violin, Viola Dave Stone - Double Bass Joseph Stone - Horn (English), Oboe James "J.T." Taylor - Author, Guest Appearance Ed Thacker - Engineer Vaneese Thomas - Vocals, Singer Michael Thompson - Guitar Fonzi Thornton - Vocals, Singer Darrell Thorp - Assistant Engineer Raymond Tischer - Viola Richard Todd - French Horn Kevan Torfeh - Cello Mike Vaccaro - Contractor David Vanacore - Score Assistance Victor Vanacore - Arranger, Score Assistance Karl Vincent - Double Bass Irina Voloshina - Violin Randy Waldman - Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Rhythm Arrangements David F. Walther - Viola Herbert Waltl - Producer Jennifer Walton - Violin Zheng Wang - Violin Clarissa Watkins - Choir, Chorus Dynell Weber - Violin John West - Choir, Chorus Ken Wild - Double Bass Martin Winning - Tenor Saxophone North Wood - Violin Terry Woods - Choir, Chorus Margaret Wooten - Violin Alwyn Wright - Violin Phil Yao - French Horn Ken Yerke - Violin Yang-Qin Zhao - Cello

Notes

1. Billboard.com: Discography - Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved on 2008-11-15.
2. allmusic: Genius Loves Company overview. All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on 2008-11-15.
3. Genius Loves Company - Rick VanderKnyff. MSN Money. Retrieved on 2005-02-06.
4. RIAA Searchable Database: Gold & Platinum. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved on 2008-15-08.
5. "Allmusic review".
6. "Robert Christgau review".
7. "The Daily Vault review".
8. "Entertainment Weekly review". 2004-09-03.
9. "JazzTimes review".
10. "Mojo review".
11. "PopMattes review".
12. "Rolling Stone review".
13. "USA Today review". 2004-08-31.
14. "Western Courier review".
15. The Rolling Stone Interview: Ray Charles. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2008-11-09.
16. Hoard (2004), pp. 154–156.
17. 'Genius Loves Company': Charles' Parting Gift : NPR Music. NPR. Retrieved on 2008-11-08.
18. Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company. EMI Catalogue. Retrieved on 2008-11-08.
19. Sales Blizzard: Consumers Taking It Home for the Holidays 11/24/04. Ray Charles Enterprise, Inc. Retrieved on 2008-11-08.
20. Ray Charles Scores First Platinum Recording of Career; ``Genius Loves Company Is Music Legend's. Business Wire. Retrieved on 2008-12-26.
21. Beyond the coffee market. Starbucks becomes an influential cultural tastemaker - Susan Chandler. Chicago Tribune. 2007-03-17.
22. "Everyone Loves 'Company'". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 116 (38): 65. 2004-09-18. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
23. Mayfield, Geoff (2004-09-18). "Over The Counter". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 116 (38). ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
24. Pietroluongo, Silvio, Minal Patel and Wade Jessen (2004-09-18). "'Bowling' For a Chart Breakthrough". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 116 (38): 72. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
25. "September 18, 2004 Billboard Hot Digital Tracks". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 116 (38): 73. 2004-09-18. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
26. BNET: Ray Charles' Multi-Platinum Genius Loves Company Nominated for 10 GRAMMY Awards. CBS Interactive, Inc. Retrieved on 2008-11-15.
27. CBS News: 2005 Grammy Award Winners, Complete List Of 47th Annual Grammy Awards Winners. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved on 2008-11-15.
28. "Canadian album certifications – Ray Charles – Genius Loves Company". Music Canada.
29. "Polish album certifications – Ray Charles – Genius Loves Company" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
30. "American album certifications – Ray Charles – Genius Loves Company". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH

References

• Nathan Brackett; Christian David Hoard; Christian Hoard (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. excerpt by Douglas Wolk. Simon and Schuster, USA. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.

External links

• Song by song analysis by Ray Charles - CD notes at Discogs.com
• Genius Loves Company : Ray Charles : Concord Music Group