[情報] Atlantic Records Co-Founder Ahmet Ertegun Dies

[Brien (B-jam)]

有看過雷之心靈傳奇的人可能記得這個名字

RIP...Ahmet Ertegun


Ahmet Ertegun, founding chairman of Atlantic Records and the man who helped
introduce the world to Ray Charles, Led Zeppelin and countless others, died
Thursday (December 14) of a brain injury. He was 83.

The mogul — born into the privileged family of a Turkish ambassador — never
retired and was attending a New York concert by the Rolling Stones (one of
the many bands he signed) on October 29 when he fell and incurred the injury.
Perhaps fitting of the two worlds he brought together, the event was a 60th
birthday party for former President Bill Clinton.

Ertegun, who survived triple-bypass surgery in 2001, later slipped into a
coma and died with his family at his side.

In recent years, Ertegun was immortalized in films like "Beyond the Sea"
about Atlantic artist Bobby Darin and "Ray," which portrayed how he not only
discovered Charles, but promoted him before R&B was a genre, produced much of
his music and wrote hits like "Mess Around."

He's also namedropped in Atlantic artist Kid Rock's single "You Never Met a
Mother----er Quite Like Me" in the verse, "I'm a seasoned vet/ Educated on
jazz by my man Ahmet/ Ertegun my friend."

Indeed, Ertegun was an expert of jazz as well as blues when, in 1947, he
borrowed $10,000 from his dentist to launch Atlantic Records. He never
pigeonholed the label, though, and opened his arms to then-genre-defying
artists like Charles and soul singer Aretha Franklin, two of his biggest
early successes. Ertegun once described Atlantic as "purveyors of
African-American music" long before the arrival of Motown Records.

Ertegun was widely known for his ability to befriend anyone, and that showed
in his label, as Atlantic expanded into rock and later hip-hop.

As legend has it, Ertegun persuaded the Rolling Stones to sign with Atlantic
after pretending to fall asleep at a Chuck Berry concert they attended
together, knowing Mick Jagger was against pushy execs.

He's also credited with convincing Crosby, Stills & Nash to tour with Neil
Young, spawning one of the greatest supergroups in rock. Eric Clapton, Phil
Collins, Bette Midler, Sonny & Cher and ABBA are among Ertegun's other
handiwork at Atlantic.

"Ahmet touched the lives of artists, producers, songwriters and countless
others who were blessed by his creativity, wisdom and humor," Atlantic
President Julie Greenwald said Thursday. "He changed the music and he changed
the music business, and he is the inspiration to an entire new generation of
music people who will strive to follow in his amazing footsteps. Equally at
home in New Orleans juke joints and foreign embassies, Ahmet was a human
being of rare character, style and humility. He was the real deal, and the
world will be a far lesser place without him."

"Ahmet brought integrity, vision, style and class to the music business,"
added Jerry Heller, co-founder of Eazy-E's Ruthless Records, with whom
Ertegun released hip-hop's first West Coast gold record. "A giant among mere
mortals, his presence will be sorely missed by those of us who had the
privilege of knowing him."

Along with his Atlantic work, Ertegun was also a founder and chairman of the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which elected him in 1987 and gave the Museum's
main exhibition hall in Cleveland his name.

"From Aretha to Zeppelin, Ahmet was instrumental in breaking many of the
iconic artists of the last 50 years," said Terry Stewart, president and CEO
of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
would not be what it is today without his leadership."

In 1993, Ertegun was presented with a Trustees Award from the Recording
Academy, and in 2000, he was honored as a Living Legend by the United States
Library of Congress. "Ahmet Ertegun was a true visionary whose life's work
had a profound impact on our culture's musical landscape," Recording Academy
President Neil Portnow said. "This is truly a sad day for the music industry
and for music lovers everywhere, but his legacy will shine on forever."

"I feel so privileged to be able to say that Ahmet Ertegun was a mentor,"
added Lyor Cohen, Warner Music Group's U.S. chairman and CEO. "Here was a man
who combined substance and style like no one else, who affected millions upon
millions of people through the music his artists created, who nurtured those
artists under his watchful eye. We were blessed to have him."

Ertegun will be buried in a private ceremony in his native Turkey, although a
public memorial service will be conducted in New York early next year.

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