Ahmet Ertegun, Co-Founder of Atlantic Records Dies At Age 83

Co-founder of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun died yesterday (12/14) 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, eventually creating a legacy in music history. Atlantic pioneered a variety of groundbreaking sounds since its birth. Ertegun capitalized on R&B in the 1950's with Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Ray Charles and Wilson Pinkett. Simultaneously, he released works by 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."