WHO:
- Ashanti, GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, actor and author
- Dr. John Silvanus Wilson Jr., President, Morehouse College
- Tony Gumina, President, The Ray Charles Marketing Group
- Dr. Uzee Brown, Jr., Chairman of the Department of Music, Morehouse College
- William Campbell, Judicial Officer, United States Postal Service
- Morehouse College Glee Club
WHAT:
The U.S. Postal Service will release a limited-edition Forever® stamp at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse College in Atlanta to celebrate one of the greatest American musicians of all time, Ray Charles.
From his childhood in Albany, Georgia, to his hit, “Georgia on My Mind” becoming the official state song, Ray Charles has a strong connection to the state of Georgia. The Atlanta stamp dedication will feature musical performances from Ashanti and the Morehouse College Glee Club to pay tribute to Charles and celebrate his legacy. Also, Ray Charles’ previously unreleased recording of “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” will be unveiled.
Interview opportunities will be available at the ceremony. Guests will have the opportunity to speak with Ashanti and William Campbell, Judicial Officer, United States Postal Service.
The limited-edition Ray Charles Forever® stamp as well as Ray Charles Forever, a deluxe CD collection featuring the unreleased recording of “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” and the bonus track, “I Didn’t Know What Time it Was,” will be available for purchase. These will also be available at major Post Office locations across the country, as well as online at usps.com and ebay.com/stamps.
WHEN:
11 a.m. ET, Monday, Sept. 23, 2013 in Atlanta, Ga.
Media check-in begins at 10 a.m. ET
WHERE:
Morehouse College
Ray Charles Performing Arts Center
830 Westview Drive SW
Atlanta, GA 30314
BACKGROUND
Each year, the U.S. Postal Service set out to celebrate and honor music legends with limited-edition stamps. The Ray Charles Forever® stamp concludes the 2013 Music Icons series; alongside Lydia Mendoza, whose stamp launched in May, and Johnny Cash, which was released in June.
When envisioning the design for the Ray Charles stamp, U.S. Postal Service art director Ethel Kessler chose a photograph, taken by Yves Carrère, from later in the career of this inspiring musician. Designer Neal Ashby assisted Kessler with the stamp pane. The stamp sheet was created to conjure the appearance of a 45 rpm single peeking out of a record sleeve. The photo belongs to Mephisto Jazz, represented worldwide by the Dalle agency.
Find more information about the new stamp and Music Icons series at www.usps.com/stamps,www.facebook.com/uspsstamps or http://beyondtheperf.com/.
Information taken from the Morehouse.edu website.
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