Ray Charles kids battle ex-manager
p2pnet news | Music:- After Ray Charles’ death in 2004, Joe Adams, 86, his ex-manager, ended up in control of Charles’ company, his foundation and the trusts set up for the children’s benefit.
But, “The family blames Adams for the release of two posthumous Ray Charles CDs that, in a departure from Charles’ usual practice, were remixed from work he left behind and overdubbed with tracks by other singers,” says yesterday’s Los Angeles Times.
“Both were commercial disappointments, even though they were released after the 2004 Oscar-winning biopic ‘Ray’ had increased interest in Charles’ music.”
Now, “Several of Ray Charles’ children called Sunday for an investigation of the management of the late entertainer’s estate, including a charitable foundation he set up and a profit-making company that manages rights to his music,” the LA Times states today, going on:
“Adams’ stewardship of the foundation, which Charles established as the Robinson Foundation for Hearing Disorders, came under the scrutiny of the California attorney general’s office in 2006. At the time, the office instructed Adams that his multiple roles at the charity, which he served simultaneously as chairman, president and treasurer, violated state law. He relinquished the treasurer’s post and later added a majority of independent outsiders to the foundation’s board, evidently also at the office’s behest.”
The attorney general dropped the matter, says the story, but Ray Charles jr and Robert Robinson, two of the eldest children, “complained that Adams and other managers of the estate were withholding financial records and other documents from the family, the state authorities told them that they had insufficient written documentation of Ray Charles’ wishes to proceed”.
Says the LA Times Sunday story >>>
Adams signed on as Charles’ manager in 1961. Toward the end of the artist’s life, Adams was perceived by Charles’ children and others close to him as controlling access to the star.
After Charles’ death, Adams ended up with virtually unchallenged power over the estate. He was head of Ray Charles Enterprises, director of the foundation and trustee of the children’s trusts. In some cases, co-officers appointed by Charles departed their roles while Adams remained.
Family members contend that Adams’ leadership has tarnished the image of the artist, who was known for decades as the “Genius” — a title bestowed on him by Frank Sinatra. Adams’ actions, along with those of other executives of the estate, have “distorted and trivialized” the value of the Charles name, alleges a federal lawsuit that Den Bok filed in the name of her son and nine of his siblings.
Adams, 86, declined requests for an interview. However, Jerry Digney, his spokesman, called the assertions “old, baseless allegations.”
Lisa Nkonoki is a spokeswoman for family members and today the LA Times report quotes her as saying any investigation should cover, among other issues, “whether the estate had disposed of any recording master tapes, which Charles carefully safeguarded during his career, and whether any estate documents ostensibly signed by Charles were actually signed by Adams in Charles’ name”.
Los Angeles Times – Ray Charles’ children battle over his legacy, April 20, 2008
LA Times – Ray Charles’ children seek investigation of estate management, April 21, 2008
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