They say Ray was deaf, gay, and a drunk. But who sang much better? He was a gentle son of a tiny town in Oregon state in USA. I guess I still adore him. Got to see him play in a small piano bar ca. 1980. A miracle. I completed him, with audience help... To play Cry twice :)
I was fortunate enough to see him at the Palladium when he opened in circa 1953 and he was an absolute sensation and broke every box office record. Only Danny Kaye got close to his box office pull.