Ray Charles Childhood Home, House museum in Greenville, United States.
Ray Charles Childhood Home is a small restored wooden house in Greenville, Florida, built in the 1920s with four rooms. It stands on SW Ray Charles Avenue and is the place where the future musician spent his early childhood years.
Ray Charles lived in the house from 1930 to 1937, after which he left for the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine. His years at that school shaped the path his life and music would take.
In Greenville's Jellyroll neighborhood, Ray Charles got his first piano lessons from Wiley Pitman at the nearby Red Wing Cafe. This shows how young African American musicians found their first teachers and opportunities within their own community.
Interior tours require advance scheduling, but the exterior and the historical marker can be seen at any time. It is worth taking some time to walk through the surrounding Jellyroll neighborhood while you are there.
The house was completely rebuilt in 2008 after it had come close to being torn down and lost forever. The rescue happened because former Mayor Elesta Pritchett stepped in to stop its demolition.
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