A recent magazine article noted resurgence in absolute standards in American culture. While not returning to the old, hardheaded rigidity of yesteryear, people are coming around to the idea that some things apply across the board. There is such a thing as good and bad, especially when it applies to abstract concepts like aesthetics.

The "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" axiom still holds, but in ever field, art, fashion, music there are some things that are of such undeniable quality that there's no room for discussion or interpretation. The artistry of Ray Charles is one of those things.

"In music you just can't escape when something is beautiful," said the legendary singer/pianist/composer. "Like a good song, you can't get away from a good song. You have a good song, and it will still be beautiful, even when somebody with a bad voice sings it. I love the old writers, who wrote beautiful love songs. I came up on those kinds of...