He gave you his all. True Genius: The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection is now available for pre-order. | Ray Charles

If you were making a short list of the greatest American musical artists ever, Ray Charles would be at or near the top. The man -- who was born on this day in 1930 -- was one of the pioneers of rock'n'roll music, combining jazz, blues, gospel, soul, and R&B in ways that no one had ever thought to do before. He had an unforgettable voice and an incomparable piano-playing style, and as songs like "I Got A Woman," "What'd I Say," and "Georgia on my Mind" showed, the results were magical. To celebra