Sheila Raye Charles was an American vocalist, songwriter, and National Recording Academy Member. She was the daughter of the legendary singer Ray Charles and Sandra Jean Betts. She had a turbulent life marked by drug addiction, prison sentences, and sexual abuse. She also had a musical career that was overshadowed by her father’s fame. She died of breast cancer at the age of 53 in 2017.
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Early Life and Family
Sheila Raye Charles was born on March 29, 1963, in Los Angeles, California. She was one of the 12 children that Ray Charles fathered with 10 different women. She did not meet her father until she was 14 years old, and had a strained relationship with him. She was sexually abused as a child by a family friend, and later by her stepfather. She also suffered a serious car accident that damaged her right eye and took her years to recover.
Music Career and Drug Addiction
Sheila Raye Charles followed in her father’s footsteps and pursued a music career as an adult. She released her debut album, Introducing Sheila Raye Charles, in 2005. The album featured R&B singles and a tribute song to her father, “My Daddy”. She also toured with bigger named artists, such as Peabo Bryson and Freda Payne. However, she struggled to break free from her father’s shadow and to find her own voice.
She also battled with a 20-year drug addiction that resulted in three stints in federal prison on grand larceny charges. She lost custody of her five children and gave birth to a premature son who weighed only 14 ounces. She said that her drug addiction was a way of coping with her daddy abandonment issues and her childhood trauma. She also blamed her father for not helping her when she needed him the most.
Redemption and Faith
Sheila Raye Charles turned her life around after finding God and becoming a devout Christian. She quit drugs and reconnected with some of her children and grandchildren. She also became a motivational speaker and an author, sharing her life story and her message of love, hope, and forgiveness. She wrote a book titled Behind the Shades, which provided insight into her life and her path to God. She also performed gospel music and worship songs, and kept her father’s legacy alive through song.
Death and Legacy
Sheila Raye Charles died of breast cancer on June 15, 2017, at her daughter’s house in Florida. She was diagnosed with the disease a few months before her death, and kept it private until the end. She was 53 years old. She was buried in an unknown location. She is remembered as a talented and beautiful singer who overcame many challenges and hardships in her life. She is also remembered as the daughter of Ray Charles, one of the most iconic and influential singers in history.
