In contrast, this song was perceived as a source of conflict for those who watched the boxoffice hit movie "Ray". In this movie, Ray (played by Jamie Foxx) arrives to a protest outside his Georgia concert. Refusing to play in front of a segregated audience, Charles cancels his show and immediantly leaves the venue. Because of his refusal to play, Charles is banned from performing in Georgia. Movie watchers were left with a taste of racism and separation; these are exactly the images Charles intended to destroy with the recording of this song.
In Charles' real performing career, this scene never happened! Charles did cancel a Georgia show and pay refunds to his fans. However, there was no protest outside of the venue, and it's not known why the concert was cancelled- it could have been due to Charles' extensive drug addictions. Charles was never 'banned' from performing in this state. In fact, the state of Georgia made "Georgia on My Mind" the official state song in 1979.
This is an excellent example of how media can influence the perceptions and beliefs of an audience. Media influence is powerful enough to even cause influence among mediums. One media outlet ('Georgia' song) can be influenced by another media outlet ('Ray' movie). Ultimately, audiences must be educated regarding the immense influence of media to prevent the continuance of false information.
Regardless of your perceptions of Charles' hit song, there's no denying"Georgia on My Mind" is an incredible contribution to the music industry.
