“Tearful”: the 1960s singer who floored Ray CharlesGiven the number of people he influenced and performed alongside, and just how immensely talented he was, you’d think it would take something special to impress Ray Charles. Shortly after the performance, Charles stated in an interview that Cocker’s vocal abilities floored him and that there was nobody else quite like him. “I heard him, and I said, ‘Here’s a guy that I’ve never heard before,’” Charles proclaimed. “He had this feeling in his voice, that tearful sound, and it really caught my attention straight away.” When we sang together, it was almost like we were an extension of each other.”