Della Beatrice Howard Robinson Wed Twice before She Became Ray Charles' Wife

Della Beatrice Howard Robinson went through hell in her love life before she tied the knot with Ray Charles. Everything seemed well at the beginning of their marriage, but the union crashed after Robinson found out that Charles cheated on her.

Not much is known about Della Beatrice Howard Robinson professionally, but the 94-year-old became famous when she tied the knot with American R&B Singer and Songwriter Ray Charles. However, before Robinson became Charles's wife, the duo had gone through failed marriages.

The entertainment icon tied the knot with Eileen Williams on July 31, 1951, but the pair went their separate ways the following year. On the other hand, Robinson was married two times. Here are the details of the pair's lives and romance.

Della Beatrice Howard Robinson's Parents Were Never Married

Robinson was born in 1928, two years before Charles arrived on September 23, 1930. She was born into a family that lived in Richmond, Texas, 15 miles Southwest of Houston.

When Robinson arrived, the little town her family lived in only had a population of about 1500 people. It was known for its oil and cotton and was a refuge for formerly enslaved people after the Civil War.

But although Richmond was known as an amazing town, it had a law that forced a lady who got pregnant out of wedlock to marry the father of her child.

But surprisingly, Robinson's parents did not follow the rule. When their daughter arrived, the pair were not married, and afterward, they never tied the knot.

The complication surrounding the couple's relationship caused Robinson to grow up without a father, which bothered her for the longest time. Although she knew her dad, the man was never a part of her childhood.

Della's Teenage Years

Robinson grew up without a father but had other family members who cared for her. While growing up, she lived in a one-bedroom house on ten acres of farmland with her uncle George and Grandma Mama Lee.

There on the farm, Robinson had some memorable experiences with her family. They grew crops like corn, peanuts, cotton, potatoes, and other vegetables, which they canned after harvesting.

In addition to the crops, Robinson and her family had livestock like chickens, geese, ducks, etc. As a result, food was never a problem. Even though they didn't have much money, Robinson, her grandma, and her uncle ate as much as they wanted.

Furthermore, Robinson has access to education. Although it was not a priority then, she went to school and studied hard, as expected. However, her schooling in Richmond lasted until the fourth grade before Robinson moved to Houston to live with her mother.

Life in Houston with her mother wasn't easy for Robinson. They always fought, and the latter had to cope with her mom's late nights and party after work.

It worsened with each passing day, and Robinson eventually dropped out of school. Afterward, she was saddled with caring for her brother James.

At some point, the challenges became too much for Robinson to bear. So, she moved out of her mother's house and moved in with her cousin, Robert Lee. Robinson knew she had to survive, so she started working as a waitress.

Later, she got a second job, singing with a gospel group at churches, where they were paid for some of the church offerings. Overall, it was one of Robinson's most difficult times, but she successfully scaled through it.

Della Beatrice Howard Robinson's Musical Career

Robinson's second job as a gospel singer saw the start of her musical career. At 16, Gospel Singer Cecil Shaw discovered Robinson's group and decided to groom their talents to make them professionals.

So, he began to rehearse with them, and with time, the gospel group purchased church robes. Afterward, it was only a matter of time before they started performing on the radio and at concerts.

The gospel group got a contract and began performing at more prominent churches in the following years. Soon, they bagged a recording contract and recorded some of their songs.

By the time Robinson was out of her teenage years, she was a step closer to a successful gospel career. Although gospel music wasn't so promising back in the day, Robinson was determined to succeed and make a name for herself.

Before Her Marriage to Ray Charles, Della Was Married Twice

Before Robinson met Ray Charles, she went through two failed marriages. Her first marriage was to a minister's son, whom she was introduced to after a church service.

In her mid-twenties at the time, Robinson had longed for a family. So, when she saw the man, she thought he was the one.

Eventually, the pair tied the knot, but her once happy relationship turned sour shortly after the marriage. Robinson's husband would frequently abuse her physically and expected her to put up with it.

But the gospel singer could not continue and called it quits. Following her divorce, Robinson found love again in the arms of another churchgoer and married him.

Sadly, like the first, her second husband was a violent man, even more abusive. Robinson grew scared of him, and at some point, she ran away to New York City.

Later, she crossed paths with Charles, who wished to meet Robinson when he heard her voice on the radio singing "Pray On, My Child."

Marriage to Ray Charles

When Robinson and Charles met in 1954, they hit it off immediately. The music icon was intrigued by Robinson, a reserved woman who did not smoke or drink. But, on the other hand, Robinson had no interest in Charles.

She was still legally married to her second husband, and Charles's life was different from hers — he performed at clubs and slept with women he barely knew.

In addition, Robinson could not trust men after everything she had experienced in her previous marriages. Finally, however, with much persuasion from Charles, she let her guard down, and the pair started dating.

It wasn't easy as the music star was mostly on the road, but he tried to keep in touch with his girlfriend. He even rented a house next to hers in Houston, Texas.

Eventually, Robinson became pregnant and moved in with Charles into a new home in South Dallas. Eight months later, on April 5, 1955, the lovebirds tied the knot.

The couple welcomed their first child, Ray Charles Jr, in May of the same year. They would welcome two more children, David and Robert, in 1958 and 1960, respectively.

Della and Ray Divorced after 22 Years of Marriage

About two decades into their marriage, Robinson discovered that Charles was unfaithful. The news of his affair came to Robinson's knowledge following a court case between Charles and the family of a woman with whom he had fathered a child while still married.

During the court case, the singer admitted to being in touch with his lover and was eventually ordered by the court to pay monthly child support of $400.

After the court case ended, Robinson filed for a divorce in 1976. The following year, after 22 years of marriage, the pair finalized their divorce.

Robinson walked away from the marriage with their Southridge home, cash payment of a third of a million dollars, a trust fund for her three children, and $4000 in monthly child support.

Following the divorce, the former couple's children kept in touch with their father, and even after he died from liver failure in 2004, they had a battle over his legacy.

Life of Della Beatrice Howard Robinson after Divorcing a Celebrity

Over four decades after her marriage with Charles ended, the whereabouts of Robinson remain unknown. The last information about her appeared in 2010, noting that she was living in Riverside County, California, in good health. So, currently, whether she is alive or dead is a mystery.