|
|
Article: White House to Roadhouse: Ahmet Ertegun
- Article from:
- International Herald Tribune
- Article date:
- May 9, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightProvided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
|
Mike Zwerin
International Herald Tribune
05-09-1997
Ahmet Ertegun always had a feel for what people wanted to listen to. In his early twenties, he was spending a lot of time in record stores and it was obvious to him that the major recording companies were missing a whole segment of the market.
Atlantic Records, which Ertegun co-founded in 1948 through a $10,000 loan from his dentist, became, along with Motown, one of the most successful black music labels. Built by Ertegun, his brother Nesuhi and the producer Jerry Wexler, the company played a large part in introducing rhythm and blues acts like LaVern Baker, Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown and The Coasters to the white audience. Then Ray ...