Film Music Reporter

Composer/arranger Ray Charles passed away Monday at his home in Beverly Hills at age 96. He is best known as the leader of The Ray Charles Singers, who were regularly featured on Perry Como’s records and radio and television shows for 35 years. He is also known as a vocalist to the theme song for Three’s Company and has arranged for such film projects as Funny Girl and Racing with the Moon. Throughout his career, he received seven Emmy nominations and won the award two times in 1971 and 1972 in the Outstanding Achievement in Music, Lyrics and Special Material category for The First Nine Months Are the Hardest and for an episode of The Funny Side. He also served as a music consultant for Kennedy Center Honors for over three decades and for The Muppet Show. In 2013, he was honored with the ASCAP Foundation Life in Music Award for his outstanding accomplishments as a composer and arranger of music for radio and television. (Variety)