Ahmet Ertegun

Ahmet loved music from a young age.

His mother played many instruments. He even had a machine to make his own records.

Ahmet started a big music company. It was called Atlantic Records. He helped many famous singers find success. He also wrote many songs himself.

Ahmet helped people love new kinds of music. He was a leader in the music world. He even helped start a soccer team. He worked hard to help music stay alive.

Ahmet made a big difference with music.

Ahmet Ertegun was a very important man in the music world.

He was born in Istanbul, Turkey. His mother was a talented musician. She played many different instruments. Ahmet loved music from the start. He even used a machine to make his own records.

In 1947, Ahmet and a friend started Atlantic Records. This was a new record label, a company that makes music. He helped many famous artists find success. He worked with singers like Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. Ahmet also wrote many songs. He often used a fake name to write them. He used the name "A. Nugetre." This was just his name spelled backward.

Ahmet did many other things too. He helped start a soccer team called the New York Cosmos. He also helped start the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This is a museum for great music. He worked hard to help blues singers get paid fairly. Ahmet made a big mark on the history of music.

Ahmet Ertegun was a very important person in the music industry.

He was born in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 31, 1923. His mother was a gifted musician who played many instruments. She bought popular records for Ahmet and his brother, Nesuhi, to hear. Ahmet even used a record-cutting machine to write his own lyrics.

He loved hearing great singers in Washington, D.C. This early love for music shaped his whole life.

Ertegun helped change how music was made and sold. In 1947, he and Herb Abramson started Atlantic Records in New York City. They used money from a dentist named Dr. Vahdi Sabit. At first, the label did not have many hits. After 22 tries, they finally found success with a song by Stick McGhee.

The company grew by finding new talent. They used new tools like 8-track tape machines. This helped them make very high-quality recordings for listeners.

His career grew through many different musical styles. Ertegun was great at finding and helping new artists. He worked with famous singers like Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. He also helped the group Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young form. Later, he helped the band Yes make a big hit song.

He even worked with the rock band Led Zeppelin. He knew which musicians would be successful before they were famous. This skill made him a leader in the music business.

Ertegun had a very busy life with many roles. He was a songwriter who used the name "A. Nugetre." This name was just his last name spelled backward. He wrote hits like "Chains of Love" and "Mess Around."

He also helped start the New York Cosmos soccer team. He brought famous players like Pelé to play for them. In 1987, he became a founder of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also gave $1.5 million to help blues artists.

His life connected many different parts of the world. He was born in Turkey but lived in the United States. He helped build strong ties between these two places. He served as a leader for the American Turkish Society for over 20 years.

He also worked to make sure musicians were treated fairly. His work helped the music we hear today exist. He remains a major figure in the history of recorded sound.

Ahmet Ertegun was a central figure in the modern recording industry. He was a Turkish-American businessman, songwriter, and record executive.

As the co-founder and president of Atlantic Records, he helped shape the sound of popular music. He was also a philanthropist and a leader in various cultural organizations. His influence reached across genres, from rhythm and blues to rock and roll. Ertegun's work helped define how music is produced, distributed, and celebrated globally.

Ertegun's journey began in Istanbul, Turkey, where he was born on July 31, 1923. His father, Münir Ertegün, was a Turkish statesman and ambassador. His mother, Hayrünnisa, was a skilled musician who played keyboard and stringed instruments. She introduced Ahmet and his brother, Nesuhi, to popular records. At age nine, Nesuhi took Ahmet to London to hear jazz orchestras. In 1935, the family moved to the United States when his father became the Turkish Ambassador. By age 14, Ahmet was using a record-cutting machine to add lyrics to instrumental tracks.

In 1946, Ertegun began building his career in the music business. He met Herb Abramson, a dental student working in the industry. Together, they sought to create a label for gospel, jazz, and R&B.

They formed Atlantic Records in September 1947 in New York City. The venture was financed by a family dentist named Dr. Vahdi Sabit. The label struggled initially, releasing 22 unsuccessful records. Success finally arrived in 1949 with Stick McGhee's hit, "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee." This breakthrough allowed the company to expand throughout the 1950s.

Atlantic Records became a leader through technical innovation and talent discovery. Ertegun and his partners, including Jerry Wexler and Nesuhi, brought a jazz sensibility to R&B. They combined blues and jazz styles to create a unique sound. The label worked with engineer Tom Dowd to set new standards for high-quality recordings. Atlantic was among the first labels to use stereo recording. In 1957, it became the first record company to utilize an 8-track tape machine. These advancements helped the label challenge the dominance of major record companies.

Ertegun was also a prolific songwriter using the pseudonym "A. Nugetre." This name was his surname, Ertegun, spelled backward.

He wrote many classic blues and pop songs. These included "Chains of Love" and "Sweet Sixteen," which were performed by Big Joe Turner and B.B. King. He also wrote "Mess Around" for Ray Charles. His compositions reached many artists, including Aretha Franklin and The Clovers. His songwriting helped cement Atlantic's reputation as a premier label for rhythm and blues.

As the music industry evolved, Ertegun adapted to new genres. In the 1960s, Atlantic helped develop soul music with artists like Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin. Ertegun also recognized the potential of rock musicians. He signed the group Led Zeppelin after hearing their demo. He also helped form the group Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. In 1967, he sold Atlantic Records to Warner Bros.-Seven Arts for $17 million in stock. Despite the sale, he remained a powerful figure within the new corporate structure. He later helped the band Yes achieve success with the single "Owner of a Lonely Heart."

Ertegun's legacy extends into philanthropy and sports. He co-founded the New York Cosmos soccer team in the North American Soccer League. He helped bring world-famous players like Pelé to the club. In 1987, he became a founder of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum in Cleveland, Ohio. He also helped establish the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. This organization provided $1.5 million to assist underpaid blues artists.

Through these efforts, Ertegun supported both the creators and the history of the music he loved.