

That chance meeting led to a phone call and a suggestion to Milsap that he try his hand at country music. Milsaps wife Joyce was in an elevator when she recognized country star Charley Pride. He was playing at the Whisky A-Go-Go and staying at the nearby Continental Hyatt House, the infamous Riot House that hosted Led Zeppelin, The Who, David Bowie and other superstars in the 1970s.

Then, in 1972, a decisive moment in Milsaps life and career came. As time went along, it wasnt what it used to be, but is it for anybody? Elevator intervention I liked Elvis early on, when he was on Sun, before he hooked up with Colonel Tom Parker. And I dont know that those movies meant a lot to him. Everybody out in Hollywood thought he was one of the nicest guys out there, and he was. Oh man, he was humble and he was nice, real nice. I got to spend some time with him, Milsap said. Arriving in 1968, Milsap was right on time to record with Elvis Presley, who Moman was producing in the wake of Presleys ∦8 Comeback. He performed on two of his late ∦0s-early ∧0s hits, ∽ont Cry Daddy and Kentucky Rain. Eventually, Milsap received an offer to move to Memphis, where he worked for producer Chips Moman, best known for producing Alex Chiltons first group, The Box Tops, Carla Thomas and Bobby Womack. The hits were few and far between, but Milsap frequently performed with his mentor, Charles, playing back-to-back so they could easily communicate. Milsap parlayed that moderate success into a recording contract with New York-based Scepter Records, which released his next single, the Nickolas Ashford/Valerie Simpson-penned Never Had It So Good. With that band, he released his first single, Total Disaster, which became a regional hit on Princess Records.

He declined a law school scholarship in 1964 and left school to play in an act called the Dimensions.
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Although Milsap received a full scholarship to Young Harris College in Georgia, he only stayed long enough to become established as a player in Atlantas burgeoning R&B scene.
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I said, Ray Charles says its OK for me to become a professional musician! Humble beginnings Having received the word of the oracle, Millsap returned to Raleigh completely validated. I love your music, Ive probably got all of your records and I want to become a professional musician like you. He said, Well, play me something! So I played him two or three songs I was working on, and he said, I can tell you love it, dont you? I said, Yes, I do I just love it I want to soak it up every day like a sponge. He said, Well, son, you need to get in the middle of it and become a professional musician. I said, Mister Ray Charles, you are truly the high priest. I was sitting in there, playing Rays piano, when he came in, Milsap said. Charles had recently left Atlantic Records and, at the time, was one of the most beloved singers in American pop music. He traveled to Atlanta and was escorted backstage by Charles pilot.

Milsap, who was born almost completely blind, went to the authority on making it as a sightless musician. Youre getting state money for a scholarship to go to college you need to do something better than that. I said, I want to become a professional musician, and they said, No. I studied oh, I dont know 13 years of classical music. March 30 at Rose State College Hudiburg Chevrolet Center, 6420 SE 15th St., in Midwest City. I was in Raleigh, going to the school for the blind, said Milsap, 74, who performs 7:30 p.m. Nearly 45 years ago, Ronnie Milsap started a Nashville career that took him to the apogee of country crossover stardom, scoring huge hits such as It Was Almost Like a Song, (Theres) No Gettin Over Me, I Wouldnt Have Missed It for the World and ∺ny Day Now. But before Milsap became a superstar, he played bills with Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and his friend and mentor, Ray Charles.
