It's been said that all musical roads lead to Ray Charles, the American icon whose influence is still evident today. From hip hop to jazz to blues, each musical form owes a nod of gratitude to the great singer-songwriter.

This weekend, the Toyota Pops will pay tribute to Charles' musical legacy. We're thrilled to welcome his protege, Ellis Hall, as well as local singers Afatia and Ginai, to the Pops stage. Thanks to the diversity of Charles' music and its natural orchestral elements, our Pops Orchestra will also be featured strongly.

It's hard to find anyone unfamiliar with the work of Ray Charles. Most of today's music has roots in what Charles did. From bringing country music into the mainstream to instilling jazz into everyday culture, Charles can be credited with transforming the American music scene. Songs like “;America the Beautiful,”; “;Bye Bye Love,”; “;Unchain My Heart”; and “;Georgia on My Mind”; are only a few examples of the Charles ripple effect.

This weekend, the entire concert will be dedicated to Charles' music. During the first half of the show, we'll be joined by two local stars: Afatia and Ginai, in their Pops debuts. Apart from being a Na Hoku Hanohano winner and Hawaii's best R&B singer, as well as a former star of the University of Hawaii football team, Afatia is also my cousin (curiously, that's not in his bio). He's the perfect fit for this music, especially songs like “;Born to Lose”;—a country and western crossover that helped turn what was once a very localized form of music into mainstream.

Ginai is also an old friend—I've known her for more than 10 years and had the pleasure of working with her in my Big Kahuna and Copa Cat Pack bands. She's definitely got the pipes to pull off hits like “;A Song for You”;—and you'll hear her performing many Charles hits that demand signature female voices.

Fans of the group Tower of Power already know and love Hall's voice and musical style. He headed the group for many years before embarking on a solo career that has him traveling the world. When I met him in Nashville, I was blown away by his talent and presence. His performances there left little doubt in mind my about why Charles himself chose Hall to continue his legacy. And when Hall travels to Honolulu, he'll be accompanied by the same assistant who traveled with Charles for decades. We're definitely looking forward to his reviews.

When people ask me about my favorite Ray Charles song, it's hard to choose. Thanks to my jazz roots, I appreciate his early work with Quincy Jones. But to narrow it down, there's one song with R&B influences that particularly stands out for me—and it's the theme for this weekend when everyone around the world seems to be in need of serious stress relief. Originally released in 1958, that song is “;Let the Good Times Roll.”;