Joe Adams was Ray Charles' manager, business partner and friend for 45 years. Described as the 'man behind the man', he was instrumental in Charles' rise as a cultural icon and enjoyed unprecedented photographic access to Ray's life.

From his privileged standpoint, Joe also caught incredibly rare moments such as Ray relaxing backstage, with his beloved chessboard, in hotel rooms and in his office, and at the cockpit of his private jet.

This collection of personal and insightful images provides a window into the singer's life, never seen before. Amazingly, the photographs were all but forgotten about until 2006 when they were discovered by staff at Ray Charles Enterprises while their Los Angeles offices were being re-modelled.