Ahmet Ertegun, Co-Founder of Atlantic Records Dies At Age 83
at the *Weill Cornell Medical Centre*, New York City. 83 years old, the
music executive fell into a coma on October 29th at a Rolling Stones
Concert and never recovered. Son of a US Ambassador to Turkey, Ertegun
took the entrepreneurial leap in 1947 at age 24 with a meager $10,000
borrowed from his dentist, creating a legacy in music history. Atlantic
pioneered a variety of groundbreaking sounds: Ertegun capitalized on
R&B in the 1950’s with *Aretha Franklin*, *Otis Redding*, *Ray Charles* and
*Wilson Pinkett*; simultaneously, he released works of jazz legends
*John Coltrane*, *Charles Mingus*, and *Ornette Coleman*; and if that
weren’t enough, Ertegun signed rock artists *Led Zeppelin*, *Cream*,
*Crosby, Stills & Nash* and *Blind Faith* in the 60’s, followed by
the *Rolling Stones* and *Genesis* in the early 70’s. Absolutely
incredible.
Current CEO *Craig Kallman* lamented:
“All of us at Atlantic Records are profoundly saddened by the loss of
our founder and mentor. The music community has lost a pioneer and an
icon, and we have lost our father. Ahmet changed the course of modern
music and culture, and he will live on through the timeless legacy of
work that was created under his direction and care. Musicians loved
him, because he truly loved them and spoke their language. His passion for
music and his devotion to the artists who make it have been at the very
heart of this company for six decades. As long as there is an Atlantic
Records, it will be Ahmet Ertegun’s company. Our thoughts and prayers
are with Ahmet’s wife, Mica, and his family during this very difficult
time.”
Atlantic Records