A Giant in our business passes away

[Aardvark]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/14/arts/music/14wire-ertegun.html?hp&ex=1166158800&en=30e2ed44728e2743&ei=5094&partner=homepage

What can you say about a career like this?

A passionate mook of the highest order.

Much repsect, may he lay in eternal peace.

Ahmet Ertegun, a Turkish immigrant whose obsession with America's black music inspired him to launch Atlantic Records and the careers of acts ranging from Ray Charles to Aretha Franklin, died in New York on Thursday, the record label said. He was 83.
Atlantic, a unit of Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE:WMG) , said his death came after he suffered brain injuries in a fall in October at a Rolling Stones concert.
Ertegun, a tireless socialite and dealmaker who kept his ears open for the latest new sounds up to the very end, had been in a coma at Weill Cornell Medical Center since the fall.
Dr. Howard A Riina, Ertegun's neurosurgeon said, "Mr. Ertegun suffered a severe brain injury after he fell in October. He was in a coma and passed away today with his family at his bedside."
His 60-year career was unrivaled in both its longevity and depth. Along the way, the bald, goateed bon vivant became something of a superstar himself: he cut a dashing figure in the world's finest ballrooms and seediest nightclubs.
One night, he would hobnob with high-powered friends like Henry Kissinger and David Geffen in his aristocratic accent. The next, he would relate unprintable anecdotes to impressionable young rock stars he was trying to sign to the label, outdrinking them in the process.
Atlantic's roster reads like a primer on popular culture: Professor Longhair, Big Joe Turner, the Drifters, Led Zeppelin, Otis Redding (who called him "omelet"), Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke, Cream, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Dusty Springfield, Genesis, AC/DC, the Bee Gees, Bette Midler, the Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton, the Three Tenors, Hootie and the Blowfish.



Cheers,
Aardvark

[clicktrack]

Wow...

I didn't know of the man, but its a shame to loose one of the last of that kind...you don't see many who will go out and search out new sounds in that way...many now just want to cover their asses and go for the sure-fire hit.

May he rest in peace.

Click

[matt allison]

Here's to a man who shaped the musical world as we know it :Thumbsup: May his legacy will live on forever.

Matt

[jerryskid]

What a shame....but what a life he led......


RIP Ahmet

[otek]

Ertegun was quite possibly the most well-known label exec in the world. People don't necessarily know the names at the top of the big record companies, but Ertegun somehow stood out.

This truly shows how influential he was, and what an impact he made on the development of the industry.


R.I.P.

[blackieC]

Ahmet, may you rest in peace knowing that no one has or will ever leave a greater legacy in blues, rock and pop.


No one.

[Spock]

Wow, that's sad news.

When I was young, I'd listen to the music my older brothers and sister bought. I noticed quickly if the LP had the Atlantic label on it, I liked it. The man made sure the music came first.

[Fulcrum]

He sure did, Spock. We will probably never see the likes of him again.... unless we learn from his example.

[Tim Armstrong]

What he said. Atlantic was my absolute favorite label back when I started buying records.

Ahmet, Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin, Ray Charles... Been a tough couple of years for Atlantic's legends. Jerry Wexler's still hanging tough.

I'm lifting a glass to the "Founding Chairman".


Tim

[eagan]

I had read that he was not looking good since that fall, but had hoped for the best.

But now he's gone.

I can only repeat what you guys have said. This man had a huge impact, and he was a living reminder that people could have good taste in music, put the music in the music business first, and make a huge business success by this.

I can't say I absolutely loved everything that was ever released on the Atlantic label, but I do not know of anything ever released on Atlantic that wasn't quality music, and some of it was my favorite music ever.

It's sad that the world in general probably has no idea of what a loss this is.


JLE

[seagate]

Sounds like he lived life to the fullest...

RIP

[Goes211]

Sad day indeed.
Ahmet was the prince of mooks.

R.I.P.

[Bryson]

What he said. Atlantic was my absolute favorite label back when I started buying records.



I remember during my teens my best friend and I agreeing that Atlantic was the best label, even though The Beatles were on Capitol. My buddy worked at Vinyl Donut, Honolulu at the time ('76).

[Logan]

Ah man what a drag, but the man has left a legacy few will ever equal. My own collection contains his influence more than any other. I'm off to get a bottle of McCallum so I can spent an evening with some vinyl in a proper send off. RIP sir you've earned it. take care Logan

[oudplayer]

I'm surprised the Turks haven't chimed in here yet...

Major dude, major loss... geçmis olsun.

-oud

[pounce]

he and tom dowd have left quite a legacy together.

much of what i think about music has come from work they were involved in.


my fondest thoughts go to the both of them.

[jerryskid]

Ray Charles
Aretha Franklin
Allman Brothers
Lynard Skiynard

nuff said.....

[Calvin]

Gotta love the fact that his eventually fatal injury was sustained while attending a Stones concert. Most of us will die doing something lame and boring, but not Ahmet (well, unless you consider the Stones to be lame and boring, but that's another discussion). The man LOVED, correction, LOVES music. You know there's gotta be great music in heaven, and you know he's going to be in the middle of it, scouting talent. A mook forever.

RIP

[blackieC]

Ray Charles
Aretha Franklin
Allman Brothers
Lynard Skiynard

nuff said.....

And yet somehow, I don't think so.


Abba
AC/DC
Bad Religion
Anita Baker
LaVern Baker
Archie Bell & The Drells
Björk
The Blues Brothers
Booker T. and the MGs
Ruth Brown
Bush
Tracy Chapman
Mark Cohn
Ornette Coleman
Collective Soul
John Coltrane
Alice Cooper
The Corrs
Crosby Stills Nash and Young
The Donnas
The Drifters
Duke Ellington
Foreigner
Gnarls Barkley
Bill Haley
Hall and Oates
INXS
Jet
Jewel
Ben E. King
Led Zepplin
MC5
Wilson Pickett
Poe
The Rascals
Rush
Sam & Dave
Percy Sledge
Small Faces
Snoop Dog
The Spinners
Stone Temple Pilots
The Temptations
Joe Turner
The Velvet Underground



Bear in mind that I only listed those artists that had some kind of impact in my life and omitted those previously mentioned.

There were many, many more.






I felt tempted to list Jennifer Love Hewitt as well because she is from Texas and has a spectacular rack, but her music just doesn't do it for me.

[nobby]

Ertegun was quite possibly the most well-known label exec in the world. People don't necessarily know the names at the top of the big record companies, but Ertegun somehow stood out.



He did indeed. He was in a number of documentaries and I believe he was mentioned in the book, "This Business of Music" although it's been quite a while since I've read it.

He had a profound influence on many lives, including mine.

[eagan]

Well, any "'nuff said" list is going to be lacking, probably, which says a lot about the man and what he gathered up and presented to the world.

Just for me, for a few examples:

Led Zeppelin

Yes

King Crimson


....all made a big impression on me as a young lad.

All were extremely unique at the time, certainly revealing influences if you dug, but so unique and unlike what else had been happening it was if they suddenly dropped in from another planet. Definitely not "hey, these guys are like <insert list> and they seem to be selling, so let's sign them up and give them a year to make us a fortune".

All were pretty obscure or completely unknown in this country when signed up, with pretty much very little to go by other than a little word of mouth and his own judgement and taste.

All did pretty well and made a huge impact that still reverberates well over 30 years later.

As mooks go, this guy definitely had the Right Stuff.


JLE

[drummertom]

Well, any "'nuff said" list is going to be lacking, probably, which says a lot about the man and what he gathered up and presented to the world.

Just for me, for a few examples:

Led Zeppelin

Yes

King Crimson




What he said!

Truly the end of an era.

[Bob Olhsson]

Atlantic distributed records for a number of labels and independent producers that were the ones who actually found and developed many of the artists mentioned. Ahmet was the deal maker who took Atlantic from being a small specialty label to a major distributor.

[6x2]

Ahmet was The Man.

Godspeed.

6x2