Vintage ballpoint signature, "Ray Charles," signed vertically on the front of an off-white 8 x 11 menu for New York's Back Street Restaurant; another hand has added "Mr. &Mrs." above the signature. Reverse of the menu is signed by several others, including jazz singer Peggy Lee, who writes, "Happy Birthday, with deep love always, Doctor Darlin," and by composer and musician Quincy Jones, who adds, "To my wonderful district attorney—may all your days be as beautiful as you are." In fine condition, with some light stains and general handling wear. Accompanied by a 6.5 x 10 program for a "Gala Premiere Dinner of Peggy Lee" at New York's Basin Street East nightclub on October 30, 1961, which lists Jones as the musical director; and an 11 x 9.5 Basin Street East photo holder, which houses a glossy photo of Jones posing with four people at Lee's dinner event, one of whom is the recipient of the menu, Dr. Robert Walter. After playing the Jazz a Juan Festival in Antibes earlier that summer, Charles and his troupe returned to Europe and France in mid-October 1961 to much anticipation. Shows in Zurich and Lyon were followed by a series of seven shows at the Palais des Sports in Paris between October 20 and 24, with the wildly popular concerts attracting record-breaking totals of nearly 35,000 people. Given that Charles's aides nearly always signed on his behalf, or at best guided his hand, authentic signatures from Charles, such as this one, are virtually nonexistent.
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