Charles Wayne Hendricks – The Private Life of Ray Charles and Margie Hendrix’s Son

Introduction

Charles Wayne Hendricks, born on October 1, 1959, is the only son of soul music legend Ray Charles and Margie Hendrix, a powerful R&B vocalist from the original Raelettes. Though born into musical greatness, Charles has spent his life avoiding the spotlight. He is best known not for public appearances, but for being the product of one of the most turbulent and talented relationships in R&B history.

The Musical and Complicated Union of His Parents

During the 1950s, Ray Charles and Margie Hendrix formed a musical and personal bond while Margie was a standout singer in Ray’s backing group, the Raelettes. Their collaboration produced the electric 1958 hit, “Night Time Is the Right Time.” But their personal relationship—full of tension and addiction—led to a bitter split. Hendrix was dismissed from the group in 1964 and tragically passed away in 1973 at just 38 years old.

Charles was just a teenager at the time, left to navigate life without his mother, and largely disconnected from the chaos of his father’s celebrity lifestyle.

Choosing Privacy Over Fame

Charles Wayne Hendricks has consciously avoided the entertainment industry and media attention. Unlike many celebrity children, he’s not active on social platforms, nor does he attend high-profile events. He didn’t appear in the 2004 Oscar-winning biopic Ray, and has remained absent from interviews and documentaries.

He was previously married to Marlene Hendricks from Aurora, Colorado, and is known to have children and grandchildren. However, exact details remain unconfirmed due to his deep preference for privacy.

His Legal Role in Preserving Ray Charles’s Legacy

Despite his distance from the public eye, Charles did play a role in a major legal case. In 2012–2013, he joined several of his half-siblings in a federal lawsuit to reclaim the copyrights to 51 of Ray Charles’s classic songs. They argued that their father’s foundation, The Ray Charles Foundation, had unfairly assumed full rights to the music catalog, which was meant to support charitable causes.

In the end, the court sided with Ray’s children, giving them partial control and recognition in managing their father’s legendary musical estate.

The Siblings of Charles Wayne Hendricks

Ray Charles fathered 12 children with 10 different women between the 1940s and 1980s. While some, like Charles, remained private, others pursued careers in entertainment, publishing, and public speaking.

Below is a closer look at each of Charles’s siblings:

Ray Charles Robinson Jr.

Born in 1955 to Ray Charles and Della B—Ray’s second wife—Ray Charles Jr. is a film producer and author. He co-produced the movie Ray (2004) and wrote the memoir You Don’t Know Me: Reflections of My Father, Ray Charles. He’s one of the most publicly visible of all the siblings and has served as a spokesman for the family and the Ray Charles legacy.

Sheila Raye Charles (Deceased)

Born in 1963 to Sandra Jean Betts, Sheila Raye Charles followed in her father’s footsteps, becoming a gospel and R&B singer. Her life was a mix of talent and struggle, including addiction and time in prison. In later years, she became a Christian advocate and public speaker before her death in 2017 from cancer.

Reatha Butler

Reatha is one of Ray Charles’s lesser-known daughters. She has maintained a relatively low profile but was active in the copyright lawsuit alongside Charles Wayne Hendricks and other siblings. She is reportedly involved in family affairs surrounding Ray’s estate.

Robyn Moffett

Born to Mae Mosley Lyles, Robyn Moffett is another sibling who has kept her life mostly private. Public records indicate she was among the children who pushed for copyright reform related to Ray’s work.

Evelyn Robinson

Little is known publicly about Evelyn, but she has been listed in public legal documents involving the Charles estate. She has never pursued public fame and lives outside the entertainment industry.

Raenee Robinson

Raenee, daughter of Arlette Kotchounian, is reportedly active in artistic and cultural preservation, though she has not taken on a prominent public-facing role. She supported her siblings in the court battles over the Ray Charles legacy.

Vincent Kotchounian

Often referenced in connection with Raenee, Vincent was born from Ray’s relationship with French woman Arlette Kotchounian. Public details are limited, but he is believed to reside in Europe and maintains a quiet life.

David Robinson

Another one of Ray’s sons with limited public visibility, David Robinson is known to be a quiet presence within the family and also joined the legal effort to reclaim rights to Ray Charles’s music.

Robert Robinson

Robert Robinson has stayed out of the spotlight. While he is listed among Ray’s children in estate-related documentation, little is known about his private or professional life.

Ryan Corey Robinson den Bok

Ryan, the youngest of Ray Charles’s children, was born in 1987 to Mary Anne den Bok, a woman Ray was involved with in the later years of his life. Ryan was just a teenager when Ray passed away in 2004. Despite his youth, Ryan played a vocal role in matters relating to The Ray Charles Foundation and the family’s legal battles.

Alexandra Bertrand

Born during the 1970s, Alexandra is another of Ray’s daughters who has kept her life out of public view. She reportedly resides in California.

Ray Charles’s Children

Conclusion

Charles Wayne Hendricks is a pivotal yet understated figure in the complex story of Ray Charles’s life and legacy. As the only child of Margie Hendrix—one of the most influential figures in the Raelettes—Charles’s life was born out of music and drama. Yet, he chose discretion over the spotlight.

His dedication to privacy and his strategic role in preserving his father’s intellectual property rights speak volumes about his quiet strength and loyalty to legacy.

As with many celebrity families, the children of Ray Charles each carved out unique roles—some public, some hidden. Charles Wayne Hendricks remains a reminder that not all legacies need headlines.