Setting the Stage

In 2001, Ray Charles and James Brown sat together. James bragged to Ray about his new life-like singing and dancing figure. Fans of James could buy the singer’s replica and have him perform in their homes at the push of a button. Ray wanted to interact with his fans in the same fashion, so he set out to create his own musical Ray Charles animatronic.

Beyond Design was hired by Coast To Coast Merchandising to develop an electronic Ray Charles puppet. We led the animatronics industrial design by developing product illustrations, character designs, and 3D models. Every detail, from the fabric of Ray’s shiny tuxedo to the texture of his shoes, was hand-selected by designers to match his real-world aesthetic. It was also especially important to capture Ray’s dynamic facial expressions while he sang and swayed. Accompanied by music, the Ray Charles animatronic would move his mouth, dance in his chair, and rock on his signature piano.

Our design team collaborated with Design Integrity and Cosmodog to complete the electrical engineering of the product. The alpha model had a swift turnaround, going from idea to prototype in 30 days! The final product was presented to Ray in person prior to his Chicago show.

When Ray Met Ray

Before going onstage at the Arie Crown Theatre, Ray held our life-like animatronic of him. Ray was blind and could not see, but he experienced the product through the magic of sound and the sensation of touch. He heard renditions of hit songs, “America the Beautiful” and “What I’d Say.”

Unfortunately, Ray passed away in 2004. However, his memory lives on through his music. Ray appreciated the product we created, and when talking about the designers, Ray said, “Those guys have passion for what they do! I have never been so impressed in my life, and coming from me, that means a lot. Thank you, guys.”