Legendary singer-songwriter Ray Charles has died.

His spokesman Jerry Digney said Charles died of acute liver disease Thursday in Bevery Hills, Calif., while surrounded by family and friends. He was 73.

The blind Grammy-winning crooner blended gospel and blues in such crowd-pleasers as "What'd I Say" and heartfelt ballads like "Georgia on My Mind."

In his 1978 autobiography, Charles said his secret to success was simple: "I was born with music inside me."

A gifted pianist and saxophonist, Charles explored many musical genres over his career, including blues, country, jazz and big band. Among his classic hits were "Hit the Road, Jack" and "I Can't Stop Loving You," and he also gave different creative spins on his recordings of the classic songs "America the Beautiful" and "Makin' Whoopee."

He also collaborated with rock and pop musicians, including Eric Clapton, Chaka Kahn and Billy Joel. In 1986, Charles teamed with Joel for the hit piano/vocal duet, "Baby Grand."

Charles was born Ray Charles Robinson in Albany, Ga., on Sept. 23, 1930. He lost his sight at age 7, and while glaucoma is often mentioned as a cause of his blindness, Charles said nothing was ever diagnosed.

His father, Bailey Robinson, was a mechanic and a handyman, and his mother, Aretha, stacked boards in a sawmill. However, the singer-songwriter became an orphan at age 15.

Charles won nine of his 12 Grammy Awards between 1960 and 1966, including the best R&B recording three consecutive years.

He was also an original inductee of the Rock and Roll of Hall of Fame in 1986 and was honored by the Kennedy Center in Washington the same year.

On the personal front, Charles was known as a legendary womanizer. According to the Internet Movie Database, Charles was married twice and fathered nine children.

He also struggled with heroin addiction for nearly 20 years before quitting in 1965, following a drug bust at the Boston airport.

The musician's legendary status often landed him parts on television and in movies.

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Singer Ray Charles Dies At 73

He played Ray in the 1980 cult movie classic "The Blues Brothers" and appeared on such television shows as "Moonlighting," "The Nanny" and the variety shows of Perry Como, Andy Williams and Flip Wilson.

Last year, nagging hip problems forced Charles to call off his first tour in 53 years. More than 30 other shows during Charles' career had to postponed because of his hips.

"It breaks my heart to withdraw from these shows," Charles said in a statement in August. "All my life, I've been touring and performing. It's what I do. But the doctors insist I stay put and mend for a while, so I'll heed their advice."

He underwent hip replacement surgery in November.

Charles' last public appearance was alongside Clint Eastwood on April 30, when the city of Los Angeles designated the singer's studios, built 40 years ago in central Los Angeles, as a historic landmark.

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