Albany State presents Ray Charles with honorary degree

ALBANY - Ray Charles, the 12-time Grammy winner who has performed before thousands, said he was a little nervous Monday giving a commencement speech to 250 graduates at Albany State University. <br> <br> ``This is a first to address a graduating class,&#39;&#39; Charles said. ``For most of you it&#39;s been a tremendous effort. Some probably thought this was just a dream. But by keeping the faith, you made the dream a reality.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The university presented an honorary doctorate of philosophy to Charles, who was born in Albany 71 years ago. <br> <br> After a choir sang ``Georgia on My Mind,&#39;&#39; the tune he helped make famous, Charles presented the school with a check for $2 million. <br> <br> ``The good people of ASU have given you a foundation to go out and do your part,&#39;&#39; Charles said. ``I cannot stress too much the importance of giving something back.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> He also urged the graduates to ``go out and make your mark on the world.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> ``Life isn&#39;t always easy. It isn&#39;t always fun,&#39;&#39; he said. ``It depends on you to make the most of each moment.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Charles, whose career spans more than half a century, is a singer and pianist whose work encompasses blues, jazz, soul and rhythm and blues. <br> <br> He told the graduates his mother, Aretha Robinson, had the greatest impact on his life, including refusing to let him use blindness as an excuse after he lost his sight at age 7. <br> <br> Some neighbors complained when she made him chop firewood, but ``She said, &#39;The boy is just blind; he&#39;s not stupid,&#39;&#39;&#39; Charles said. <br> <br> The university is planning a new theater named after Charles&#39; mother. <br> <br> Albany State, a historically black university, was founded in 1903. It has been part of the University System of Georgia since 1932. <br>