Ray Charles children: how the music icon fathered 12 kids with 10 different women
Google searches have intensified around Ray Charles' family, particularly his kids. The singer had 12 children with 10 different ladies. Some of Ray Charles' children include Ray Charles Robinson Jr, David, and Reatha Butler. All mothers of Ray's kids are known, except Reatha's mom, who has never been publicly identified.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Ray Charles' oldest child is Evelyn Robinson born in 1949.
- Ray Charles has lost two of his kids; Charles Wayne Hendricks and Sheila Robinson.
- The American singer was married twice in his lifetime. Eileen Williams (1951–1952) and Della Beatrice Howard Robinson (1955–1977).
Profile summary
| Full name | Ray Charles Robinson |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 23 September 1930 |
| Date of death | 10 June 2004 |
| Zodiac sign | Libra |
| Age | 73 years (at the time of death) |
| Place of birth | Albany, Georgia, United States |
| Place of death | Beverly Hills, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African–American |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Hright in feet | 5'9'' |
| Height in centimetres | 175 |
| Weight in pounds | 170 |
| Weight in kilograms | 77 |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Father | Bailey Robinson |
| Mother | Aretha Robinson |
| Siblings | 1 |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Ex-wives | Eileen Williams, Della Beatrice Howard |
| Children | 12 |
| Education | Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine |
| Profession | Singer, songwriter, pianist |
| Net worth | $75 million |
| @official.raycharles | |
| @RayCharles | |
| YouTube | raycharlestv |
Meet all of Ray Charles’ children
The American musician had 12 kids with 10 different women. Discover more about Ray Charles' wife and children.
1. Evelyn Robinson
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Evelyn Robinson
- Date of birth: 1949
- Age: 76 years old (as of 2025)
- Mother: Louise Flowers
Profession: Success coach, event, and travel manager, health and wellness consultant, software engineer/systems analyst
Evelyn Robinson is the first child of the American singer. She was born in 1949 out of Ray's one–year relationship with Louise Flowers. Evelyn attended The George Washington University School of Business, where she graduated with a Master’s Certificate in Project Management.
Ray's eldest child is a successful health and wellness consultant, and event, and travel manager. Evelyn has also served as a manager at a prepaid legal services company. She was also employed by Verizon as a software engineer/systems analyst. Currently, Evelyn lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
2. Ray Charles Robinson Jr
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Ray Charles Robinson Jr
- Date of birth: 25 May 1955
- Age: 70 years old (as of 2025)
- Mother: Della Beatrice Howard Robinson
- Profession: Producer, actor, reality TV star
Robinson Jr is Ray's second child. He was born on 25 May 1955 to the American vocalist and Della Beatrice Howard Robinson. Beatrice and Ray were married from 1955 to 1977. Robinson Jr is a film producer, actor, and reality TV personality.
Some of his production credits include Ray Charles: 50 Years in Music and Hotel California. Robinson Jr is a father to two daughters named Erin and Blair, and a grandfather to Kennedy. Presently, he resides in Los Angeles with his partner Rhonda Bailey. Additionally, Robinson Jr supports individuals in his community, more so those with addiction problems.
3. David Robinson
Source: UGC
- Full name: David Robinson
- Date of birth: 1958
- Age: 67 years old (as of 2025)
- Mother: Della Beatrice Howard Robinson
David Robinson is the American pianist's second child from his marriage to Della Beatrice Howard. He was born in 1958. In July 2020, David Robinson talked about his father's independence on his musical career during an interview with Closer Weekly. He said,
I think that was a driving force in his life. It had to be, because of his discipline and what he was able to do.
David exchanged marriage vows with his long-time girlfriend, Synthia Robinson. Unfortunately, the couple's only son, Sgt. Conrad Robinson died at just 36 years old at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo.
4. Charles Wayne Hendricks
Source: UGC
- Full name: Charles Wayne Hendricks
- Date of birth: 1 October 1959
- Age: 54 years (at the time of death)
- Mother: Margie Hendrix
Wayne is Robinson's son from his long-term relationship with Maggie Hendrix, a gospel singer and member of the girl gospel group the Raelettes. Hendricks lived a quiet life away from the spotlight until he passed on in 2013. Wayne was married to Marlene Hendricks from Aurora, Colorado, and the couple shared several children and grandchildren.
5. Robert Robinson
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Robert F. Robinson Sr
- Date of birth: 17 April 1961
- Age: 64 years old (as of 2025)
- Mother: Della Beatrice Howard Robinson
- Profession: Instructor, teacher, pastor
Robert Robinson is the American entertainer's youngest child with his wife, Della Beatrice. He was born on 17 April 1961. Robert went to several Christian schools, including a prestigious Aviation school in Los Angeles.
He used to work as a teacher and instructor at one of the country's distinguished Aviation schools. In the late 1980s, he abandoned teaching to focus on ministry work. Currently, Robert is working as the pastor of Great Faith Ministries and Schools.
6. Raenee Robinson
Source: UGC
- Full name: Raenee Robinson-McClellan
- Date of birth: 1961
- Age: 64 years old (as of 2025)
- Mother: Mae Mosely Lyles
- Profession: Credit repair and tax repair specialist, legal shield representative
Raenee is the Georgia on My Mind singer's only child from his relationship with Mae Mosely Lyles. She works as a tax repair and credit repair specialist and a legal shield representative. Raenee resides in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, Kevin.
7. Sheila Robinson
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Sheliah Jane Robinson
- Date of birth: 17 September 1963
- Age: 53 years (at the time of death)
- Mother: Sandra Jean Betts
- Profession: Singer, songwriter
Sheila was born on 17 September 1963 in Los Angeles, California, to the famous songwriter and Sandra Jean Betts. She was raised by her mother in Minnesota. Although Jane didn’t spend much time with her father, she cherished the moments they shared during his lifetime.
During her interview with Telegram & Gazette in March 2013, Sheila revealed that she rose above sexual abuse, two decades of substance addiction, and incarceration in the past. In 2005, Sheila released her first album titled My Daddy, which was dedicated to her father.
Jane was married to Michael Steptoe. Unfortunately, she died from mammary cancer on 15 June 2017 at the age of 53 years in Sarasota, Florida.
8. Reatha Butler
- Full name: Reatha Butler
- Date of birth: 1966
- Age: 59 years old (as of 2025)
- Mother: N/A
- Profession: Real estate investor
Reatha Butler is Ray's daughter from his relationship with an unknown woman. She is the owner of Real Estate Pro, a firm with offices in Payton and Falcon, Colorado. Reatha lives a private life away from the limelight.
9. Alexandra Bertrand
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Alexandra Bertrand
- Date of birth: 1968
- Age: 57 years old (as of 2025)
- Mother: Mary Chantal Bertrand
- Profession: N/A
In 1968, Charles and Mary Chantal Bertrand welcomed a daughter named Alexandra Bertrand. Like some of her siblings, Alexandra has kept her life under wraps.
10. Vincent Kotchounian
- Full name: Vincent Kotchounian
- Date of birth: 1977
- Age: 48 years old (as of 2025)
- Mother: Arlette Kotchounian
- Profession: Fitness trainer
Vincent Kotchounian is Hit the Road Jack singer's tenth child. His mother is Arlette Kotchounian a French singer-songwriter and photographer. He attended the University of South California (USC), and later joined INT and MMA GYM as a fitness trainer.
11. Robyn Moffett
Source: UGC
- Full name: Robyn LaJoya Moffett,
- Date of birth: 3 April 1978
- Age: 47 years old (as of 2025)
- Mother: Gloria Moffett
- Profession: Entrepreneur, former singer and songwriter
Robyn Moffett is the American songwriter's youngest daughter, born on 3 April 1978. Her mother is Gloria Moffett. LaJoya used to work at A-Class Productions in Atlanta, Georgia, as a singer and songwriter. She runs a music publishing and consulting company founded in 2015 known as R. Charles & Co. Enterprises.
Moffett later signed a one year contract with MTM after she attended John Casablancas of Chicago. Robyn later studied music business management, vocal performance, and entertainment marketing at Columbia College, Chicago. She is a mother to a daughter named Avari Rhaen.
12. Corey Robinson
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Ryan Corey Robinson den Bok
- Date of birth: 1987
- Age: 38
- Mother: Mary Anne Den Bok
- Profession: Musician
Corey Robinson is the youngest in the family. Like his late father, he has also ventured into the music industry. Corey has a YouTube channel where he creates videos of himself while performing some of his father's classic songs.
How did Ray Charles go blind?
The What'd I Say singer started losing his eyesight at the age of five, and two years later he completely became blind. Several years later, doctors declared that Ray Charles' blindness was caused by juvenile glaucoma.
During his interview on YouTube in June 1972, the iconic musician revealed that even though he lost his sight during childhood, he still remembers standard things like colours. Ray said,
Like, Yeah, I remember the standard, things you know uh like you know green, brown, yellow, white, and black things like that. But these new coloUrs they got, you know like electric pink, I don't know what the devil that looks like.
FAQs
- When was Ray Charles born? He was born on 23 September 1930.
- Who were Ray Charles' parents? His parents were Bailey Robinson and Aretha Robinson.
- Who was Ray Charles's wife? Ray was married to Eileen Williams between 1951 and 1952. His second wife was Della Beatrice Howard Robinson, and they were married from 1955 to 1977.
- How many children did Ray Charles have? The American entertainer had 12 children. They are Evelyn Robinson, Ray Charles Robinson Jr., David, Charles Wayne, Robert, Raenee, Sheila, Alexandra, Vincent, Robyn, and Corey.
- Who are Ray Charles's children's mothers? The mothers of his children are Louise, Della Beatrice, Margie Hendrix, Mae Mosely, Sandra Jean, Mary Chantal, Arlette Kotchounian, Gloria Moffett, and Mary Anne Den. However, the mother of Ray's daughter, Reatha Butler, is unknown.
- Did Ray Charles know all of his children? The American pianist knew all his children.
- Is Ray Charles Brown Jr. the son of Ray Charles? Ray Charles Brown Jr is not Ray Charles' son. Ray Charles Brown Jr is a music producer and engineer from the United States.
- How did Ray Charles die? The prominent singer lost his life due to liver cancer. Ray was 73 years old at the time of his death.
- Is Ray Charles still alive? The legendary musician died on 10 June 2004 in Beverly Hills, California, USA, due to liver disease.
Ray Charles' children are grown-ups with careers in different fields. Some of them have followed their father’s footsteps in the music industry, like his daughter, Sheila, who released her debut album, My Daddy, in 2005.
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Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
