Grand Ole Opry gives rare salute to soul genius Ray Charles

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Grand Ole Opry gave a rare salute to soul genius Ray Charles with performances from Darius Rucker, Boyz II Men, Ronnie Milsap and LeAnn Rimes for an upcoming public television special.

Charles grew up listening to the Opry, but it was his landmark two-volume set "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music," in the early '60s that opened up the genre to a whole new audience.

Rucker, who hosted the TV special that will be airing in February, says Charles went out on a limb to record country music when others dismissed the idea.

But the songs were huge pop hits and changed the image of country music for decades. Rucker says Charles deserves a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame.