When he went to make a contract, he fell asleep and convinced Mick Jagger like this: Who is Ahmet Ertegun?

Ahmet Ertegun was born in Istanbul in 1923. Ertegün, whose father is an ambassador, spent his childhood in Switzerland, France, and England. His interest in music began while living in London at a young age, discovering artists such as Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington. After moving to America with his family in the 1940s, he had the chance to watch the performances of names such as Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald at the Howard Theater in Washington DC.

Ahmet Ertegun (July 31, 1923 – December 14, 2006) was a Turkish-American businessman, songwriter, record executive, and philanthropist.

Soon, he and his brother Nesuhi Ertegün started to organize various concerts at the Turkish Consulate in Washington. Meanwhile, Ahmet and Nasuhi, whose fathers passed away, chose to stay in America by not returning to Turkey.

Founding of Atlantic Records

Ertegün, who studied philosophy at the university, started working at a local record store. The Ertegün brothers, who met Herb and Mariam Abramson during these years, attempted to establish a production company twice. After two failed attempts, with the financial support of family friend Dr. Vahdi Sabit and in partnership with Abramson, they formed their own independent label, Atlantic Records, in 1947.

"The reason we started Atlantic Records was to sign a few artists whose music we like and to release the kind of albums we want to buy."

Atlantic Records entered the music industry in a small and cramped office on 56th Street in New York. Ertegün took the pseudonym Nugetre and started writing songs because of the lack of attention from major music publishers in the first years. It was during this period that he penned the hits "Fool, Fool, Fool" and "Don't You Know I Love You" for Clovers in 1951. The company first signed a deal with Ruth Brown in 1949. Brown achieved great success for Atlantic Records with the songs Teardrops From My Eyes (1950) and Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean (1953).

1952 was an important year for Atlantic Records because they signed with Ray Charles. It was Ertegün who inspired Charles to develop his piano playing style, which is defined as boogie-woogie. Atlantic Records skyrocketed after Ray Charles signed with Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding, who had failed Columbia Records. Ertegün started album negotiations with Elvis Presley in 1955. Presley was offered $25,000, but he wanted more. Thus, the contract was sold to RCA Records with a margin of $20,000.

With the 1960s, a new era began for Ertegün, Atlantic Records, and America. As the civil rights movement took hold of the masses, soul music began to rise, which also affected Atlantic and its artists. During this period, Ertegün was following the emerging pop music in Los Angeles as well as continuing his jazz and gospel style. Soon after, Ertegün's star, who sat at the table with important names such as Sonny, Cher, and Buffalo Springfield, gradually shone. Atlantic Records now appealed not only to black jazz lovers but also to America's white youth.

Atlantic Records and The Rolling Stones

In 1967, Ertegün decided to sell Atlantic Records to Warner Music Group. However, Warner Music Group wanted the Ertegün brothers to continue in the company. In this way, a very important name joined the company: The Rolling Stones.

Ertegün described his meeting with Mick Jagger with these words, "I was in Los Angeles in the fall of 1969. I saw a large group of young people outside when I was passing by a studio. I asked who they were, they said The Rolling Stones were recording records." Ertegün, who learned that his contract with Decca Records was over, set up an appointment with Mick Jagger. Ertegün's falling asleep during the meeting affected Mick Jagger. The next day, Ertegün succeeded in signing an agreement by persuading the members of the group, who were considering establishing their own record label, one by one.

The 1970s and The Rolling Stones marked the turning point for Atlantic Record, it was the age of rock & roll. Ertegün signed deals with Led Zeppelin, Crosby, Yes, Nash & Young, Cream, and Bad Company back to back. By the 80s, these names were followed by AC/DC, Phil Collins, Twisted Sister, Skid Row, Genesis, and Rush. Ertegün described his meeting with Eric Clapton with these words, "With his eyes closed, he was throwing the sweetest solo you've ever heard. That's how I met Eric Clapton and founded Cream."

Ertegün was one of the pioneers in the establishment of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a prestigious museum that hosted many famous names. Established in 1983 and located in Ohio, the main exhibition hall of the museum was named after Ertegün. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a museum that provides information about the development processes of rock & roll culture and the prominent artists in this process. Visitors can see the stage costumes of artists such as Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles, listen to their music, and watch sections from their interviews and concerts.

Ertegün was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Berklee School of Music in 1991. He was named a "Living Legend" by the United States Library of Congress in 2000. As the producer of Ray Charles's album Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings, he was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Historical Album category. Ertegün, who has Grammy Awards in three different fields, received an Honorary Award in 2006.

Death of Ahmet Ertegun

Ertegün, who fell and hit his head at The Rolling Stones concert in 2006, fell into a coma. Ertegün, who could not come out of the coma and could not recover medically, passed away in the same year. Led Zeppelin, who gave a concert in Istanbul in memory of Ahmet Ertegun in 2007, dedicated the song "Stairway to Heaven" to Ertegun.

Ertegün, who worked non-stop in every period of his life, expressed that he was afraid of being forgotten. He has accomplished unforgettable works by bringing names such as Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Phil Collins, and many more to the music world.