Ray Charles: I hear like you see. Like that hummingbird outside the window, for instance. Della Bea Robinson: [astonished] I can't hear her. Ray Charles: You have to listen. Della Bea Robinson: [closes her eyes, hears the hummingbird] Yes! Ray Charle...
Fathead Newman: This ain't no weed, Ray. And we ain't snorting no bitch. This is boy! Boy'll make your ass null and void. Ray Charles: Null and void, just like my life.
Bus Driver: All right! Rest stop, 45 minutes! C'mon, folks, we got to move! We leave at 2:45 on the dot! Can't be late! [to his white passengers] Bus Driver: Hot meals and bathrooms inside! [to his "colored" passengers] Bus Driver: All right, uh, the...
[repeated line] Ray Charles: Don't jive me, man.
Milt Shaw: You know, Ray, your contract with Atlantic expires in 4 months. Ray Charles: Yeah, I know. Ahmet and Jerry sent me my new contract. They're gonna double my royalties. Milt Shaw: Before we go down that road again I thought I'd check and see...
Joe Adams: [showing Ray and his wife their new mansion in Los Angeles] This foyer is designed to impress anybody who walks in the door. There's a big winding staircase, just like "Gone with the Wind". Ray Charles: [to his wife] We should get our port...
Gossie McKee: What the hell's Ray doin' up there? Marlene: Auditionin' for you Gossie. Gossie McKee: He ain't no good without me. Marlene: How'd you and the 'Bama like to do a week here at the Chair. I know a good bass player. Nice jazz trio can scor...
Oberon: You know, Marlene and Gossie's the ones running the game on you, Ray. They sliced up the pie the first night you played. Thirty-five percent off the top. Plus Gossie's double scale as leader. Ray Charles: Leader. If anyone's leadin' the band ...
Jack Lauderdale: So Ray, we got to talk about your name, man. Robinson. I mean, Sugar Ray got to Robinson franchise all sewed up. So I'm thinking we go with your middle name: Charles. As in "Ray Charles." Ray Charles: I don't care what you call me, m...
Della Bea Robinson: He isn't my gift to you, he's your son.
[first lines] Aretha Robinson: Always remember your promise to me. Never let nobody or nothing turn you into no cripple.
[talking about Jack Lauderdale] Gossie McKee: You need watching out for and he ain't got time to look after you the way I been looking after you. Ray Charles: Is that what you been doing, Gossie, watching out for me? Is that why you get paid double w...
Aretha Robinson: If you want to do something to make your mama proud, promise me. Promise me you won't let nobody turn you into no cripple, you won't become no charity case, and you'll stand on your own two feet. Young Ray Robinson: I promise. Aretha...
Ray Charles: Could you do me a favor and close that bag? Quincy Jones: What's wrong with you? You got two hands. You can close it yourself. Ray Charles: I got two feet too. Could you close the bag?
Jeff Brown: Where you from Ray? Ray Charles: North Florida. Jeff Brown: Old North Florida boy. Your people still down there? Ray Charles: Naw. Jeff Brown: All right. Hey, pardon me for asking, but how do you get around so good without a cane or a dog...
Fathead Newman: Look at Ray over there. You see that? He feels her wrist because he figures that's the way to tell if she's good looking or not.
Ray Charles: You told me to find my own voice.
[to Margie] Ray Charles: You know what they're saying about me? Said I lost something. Said I've gone middle-of-the-road. They might as well say the same thing about you. You were the soul of this band, now every time you're around you're just drunk....