Was Ray Charles criticized for secularizing gospel music?
Yeah, I heard some talk. Some folks felt like I was tamin' the spirit of gospel, bringin' it into the honky-tonks and the dance halls. But I saw it differently. That power, that joy, that pain – that's universal, man. It ain't just for Sunday mornin'. When you feel the spirit in your soul, it spills out into everything. I was just lettin' that spirit shine through in whatever music I was makin'. The feeling, the truth, that's what matters. If the music makes you feel somethin', if it connects with you, then it's done its job. It's all about the soul, and the soul ain't confined to one place.
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