Answer:
1949 – Ray Charles, Longest career on the US R&B charts
Georgia-born Ray Charles was highly regarded as the “Father of Soul”. As a child, he spent his days relying on his sense of sound to compensate for his visual impairment. He grew up learning how to play several instruments, including the organ, piano, saxophone, trumpet, and clarinet. The ensemble largely led to his wide span musical influence, which was known for combining genres of gospel, country, and blues. Despite challenging times for African Americans during the peak of his music career in the 1960s, he still managed to succeed, achieving the Guinness World Records title for the longest span of US R&B singles and albums charts. Charles, who began his career as leader of the Maxine Trio with the single “Confession Blues” in April 1949 filled decades with hits such as "Georgia on My Mind," and Grammy-winning "Hit the Road, Jack". His most recent release as a solo artist was from his album Ray Sings Basie Swings on 21 October 2006, which placed him on the charts again decades later.
1955 – Louis Armstrong