Margie Hendrix

Born: March 13, 1935 Register, Georgia, USA
Died: July 14, 1973 New York, New York, USA
Burial: New Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery Register, Georgia

Marjorie Hendricks was born on March 13, 1935 in Register, Georgia to Katie and Renzy. She started out as a teenager playing the piano for the children's choir at her church in Register. In the early 1950's she wrote and recorded her own songs but they were not hits. In 1956 at the age of 21, Margie Hendricks joined the Cookies and not long after that the Raelettes. Her first real gig was with Ray Charles. She recorded duets with Ray and performed behind him with the Raelettes. In the late 1950's Margie developed a close relationship with Ray. On October 1, 1959 Margie had a child with Ray, a boy (Charles Wayne Robinson). In the early 1960's Margie started getting into heroin and drinking. In July of 1964 Ray had gotten to the point where he had enough and Margie was fired after a big argument with Ray. Margie started her own solo career by signing a record deal with Mercury records and released 5 singles, but they were unsuccessful and she was dropped from the label in October of 1967. Margie married Robert Fulson in March of 1966, but they divorced in January of 1968. Margie then signed another record deal with Sound Stage 7 and released 2 singles, but they were unsuccessful as well and she was later dropped from the label in September of 1969. After 1970 she faded into obscurity and continued to use drugs and alcohol. She later died of a heroin overdose on July 14, 1973, but people have been theorizing over if her death was caused by the overdose, cancer, or a car accident. Some people also say she was living in poverty around the time of her death.