Jerry Wexler, 91, the legendary producer and partner in Atlantic Records who coined the term “rhythm and blues," helped Aretha Franklin find her groove and freed Ray Charles from his early easy-listening style, died Aug. 15 at his home in Siesta Key, Fla. He had heart disease.
Starting in the 1950s, Mr. Wexler introduced black and Southern musicians to mainstream music listeners, when few whites paid attention to what was called “race music." The powerful blend of gospel, blues and jazz, which he had renamed “rhythm and blues" in 1949 while working at Billboard magazine, became the foundation of rock-and-roll, soul and modern popular music.
He joined the modestly successful Atlantic Records in New York in 1953 and, through a frenetic work ethic, recruited and shaped such artists as Wilson Pickett, Ruth Brown, the Drifters and Solomon Burke. For the next 15 years, the partnership of Mr. Wexler and label founder Ahmet Ertegun did more to promote rhythm and blues from the rural lanes and urban back streets than any other record label in the nation.
Atlantic Records jump-started the rock-and-roll revolution when Big Joe Turner's “Shake, Rattle and Roll" electrified white teenagers in 1954, while Charles's fusion of gospel, jazz and blues energized American popular music. R&B begat soul music in the 1960s, and many of its greatest performers sang on Atlantic.
Starting in the 1950s, Mr. Wexler introduced black and Southern musicians to mainstream music listeners, when few whites paid attention to what was called “race music." The powerful blend of gospel, blues and jazz, which he had renamed “rhythm and blues" in 1949 while working at Billboard magazine, became the foundation of rock-and-roll, soul and modern popular music.
He joined the modestly successful Atlantic Records in New York in 1953 and, through a frenetic work ethic, recruited and shaped such artists as Wilson Pickett, Ruth Brown, the Drifters and Solomon Burke. For the next 15 years, the partnership of Mr. Wexler and label founder Ahmet Ertegun did more to promote rhythm and blues from the rural lanes and urban back streets than any other record label in the nation.
Atlantic Records jump-started the rock-and-roll revolution when Big Joe Turner's “Shake, Rattle and Roll" electrified white teenagers in 1954, while Charles's fusion of gospel, jazz and blues energized American popular music. R&B begat soul music in the 1960s, and many of its greatest performers sang on Atlantic.
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