Who is Jacksonville's best hometown music act, Ray Charles or Lynyrd Skynyrd? Vote now!

The Genius or the longhairs?

The contest to find Jacksonville's favorite homegrown musical act is down to Ray Charles and Lynyrd Skynyrd, two acts that couldn't be more different.

Charles is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, a Country Music Hall of Famer, a Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Famer and had his picture on a U.S. postage stamp. Charles, commonly referred to as "The Genius," took out hard-rock act Shinedown in the semifinal round of the tournament, collecting about 65 percent of the votes cast.

Lynyrd Skynyrd is also a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act, famous for high-flying triple-guitar attack and down-home songs about bar fights, car crashes and the finest picker to ever play the blues. The band lost its final founding member, guitarist Gary Rossington, earlier this month but continues to tour. Skynyrd took down the Allman Brothers Band in the semifinals, collecting about 72 percent of the votes.

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So which one is Jacksonville's favorite? Cast your votes by 2 p.m. Thursday.

1: Ray Charles

Jacksonville connection: Charles moved to Jacksonville as a teen after spending time at Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, living on Church Street where the LaVilla School of the Arts now stands. He sat in with bands at Jacksonville’s Genovar Hall and Two Spot club and was a regular at St. Pius Catholic Church. But he evidently didn’t love Jacksonville; a 1998 biography describes an incident where Charles reportedly asked a friend to find him the farthest place in the U.S. from Florida and subsequently moved to Seattle.

Accolades: 5 gold albums, 3 platinum albums, 37 Grammy nominations (17 wins), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Kennedy Center Honors, Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall of Fame, pictured on 2013 U.S. Postal Service stamp.

Songs you know: “Hit the Road Jack,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” “What’d I Say”

3: Lynyrd Skynyrd

Jacksonville connection: Formed in Jacksonville, came up playing clubs and dances in ‘60s and early ‘70s. Named for Leonard Skinner, former Lee High teacher who bothered band members about their haircuts. Two DVD packages, “Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd & Second Helping Live” and “Last of the Street Survivors Tour Lyve,” were recorded in Jacksonville.

Accolades: 7 gold albums, 13 platinum albums, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Songs you know: “Free Bird,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Gimme Three Steps,” “That Smell”

Using the app? Click here to cast your vote.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville's best music act: Ray Charles or Lynyrd Skynyrd?