(The following are the liner notes from the insert to the Concord Records/Hear Music CD of the posthumous Ray Charles album “Genius Loves Company”)

This CD features amazing duet performances between Ray Charles and such luminaries as Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, and Van Morrison.

          Ray had a profound impact and influence on countless singers and some of the best of those are represented on this album. As he said himself at the time of the recordings: "The duets project has been a tremendous experience. I am working with some of the best artists in the business, as well as some of my dearest friends."

          These duets began over a year ago at the instigation of John Burk, Executive UP of Concord Records, who spearheaded the recordings and produced much of the album. The project began with a live performance with Van Morrison in June of 2003, followed by the first studio session in July 2003 with stalwart friend and blues axeman from way back, B.B. King, and culminated in a moving meeting in March of this year with pop maestro Elton John.

          While he worked with various artists in the past, such as Guitar Slim, Betty Carter, Jimmy Lewis, David "Fathead" Newman, Milt Jackson, Cleo, Laine, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, Jr., Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, among many others, this Concord Records/Hear Music release is his first full-length album of duets. Most of these recording sessions were done in a single day, largely cut at Ray's studio, which was recently recognized as a historic landmark by the City of Los Angeles.

           We hope you enjoy the extraordinary results of these collaborations as much as we do.