Those who knew him best called him Mr. C—a man with true vision and a heart of gold to match. To the rest of the world, he was the legendary Ray Charles, the musical genius who evoked intense emotion with his unmistakable raspy voice while belting out hits from behind a baby grand. Nearly two decades after his death in 2004, those captivating vocals still shine through his many award-winning recordings.

Few may know that Ray Charles Robinson, who came from humble beginnings in small-town Georgia at the dawn of the Great Depression, was also a true philanthropist—in life and in death. Charles would modestly brush off that characterization if he were with us today, according to Valerie Ervin, president of The Ray Charles Foundation. “He never made his gift-giving public,” Ervin said. “In fact, he began making donations anonymously in 1988, and focused much of his philanthropy on educational causes.”

Ervin now carries the torch Charles thoughtfully placed in her hands before his passing. He charged his tight-knit group of friends and colleagues with maintaining the foundation’s philanthropy at Cedars-Sinai to benefit future medical professionals being trained here.

The charitable organization continues to support The Ray Charles Foundation Scholars Fund in Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai through its second $1 million donation. The program fosters training and mentoring of students from historically Black colleges and universities and is led by renowned neurosurgeon Keith Black, MD, chair of Cedars-Sinai’s Department of Neurosurgery and the Ruth and Lawrence Harvey Chair in Neuroscience.

“We are so fortunate to have the support of The Ray Charles Foundation,” Black said. “This scholars program provides aspiring doctors with the kind of exposure and experience they may not have otherwise accessed as they venture into successful medical careers.”

Ervin says Charles would be elated at the momentum gained by the program since its inception in 2020, and the program's scholars are tremendously grateful for this transformational opportunity. When asked what guidance the legendary late entertainer would have imparted to scholars chosen for the coveted program, Ervin was quick with an answer. "If Ray Charles were with us today, he would tell the neuro scholars, 'Do your best practice, stay focused and keep on your journey." Scholars say the program has been life-changing.

“The program is highly inspiring and reflective of the life and legacy of Ray Charles,” former scholar Benson Joseph said. “It helped me gain exposure to cutting-edge research and exploratory treatments in neurosurgery.”

We think Mr. C would’ve liked that very much.