Friday, October 10, 2008

Dead Page: Coined Term Rhythm & Blues

JERRY WEXLER, 91

The man who pushed the careers of Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin and coined the phrase Rhythm & Blues, died August 22nd.

He also worked with Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, George Michael, Dire Straits, Dusty Springfield, and Santana. He helped build Atlantic Records with Ahmet Ertegun and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

Atlantic was a major outlet for black music for fifty years. He worked with Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Percy Sledge, producing "Respect," "In the Midnight Hour," and "When a Man Loves a Woman" among others for them.

One other major accomplishment was Dusty Springfield's album "Dusty in Memphis."

In 1967, he and Ertegun sold Atlantic to Warner Brothers for $17.5 million.

He Sure Helped Make Music What It Is.

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