Barack Obama just can’t resist bursting into song nowadays.

The US President, who performed an impromptu version of Amazing Grace while speaking at a funeral last year, lead a star-studded sing-a-long at a special Ray Charles tribute concert held at the White House.

And although he’d previously said he wouldn’t be showing off his vocals this time, it seems the 54-year-old couldn’t help himself as he passionately sung along to the late musician’s hit What’d I Say with his wife Michelle as well as Usher, Demi Lovato and The Band Perry.

‘Over the past seven years, Michelle and I have set aside nights like this to celebrate the music that shaped America,’ he said before the annual In Performance at the White House, which was dedicated to the Hit The Road Jack singer this year.

‘I will not sing. But for our last one [In Performance at the White House], it is fitting that we pay tribute to one of our favourites.’

The special also saw Usher sing Ray’s classic track Georgia On My Mind and included performances from music stars Andra Day and Anthony Hamilton.

‘To see Ray’s legacy, you don’t have to look far,’ added Obama, whose second term as US President will end next year.

‘Ray Charles had the rare ability to collapse our weightiest emotions into a single note.

‘He couldn’t see us, but we couldn’t take our eyes off of him.’

Ray, who lost his sight when he was a child, died in 2004 at the age of 73 from acute liver disease.

The hour-long special is due to air in the US on American public broadcaster PBS this Friday.