Another legendary figure in the world of music has sadly passed away, producer Jerry Wexler died on Friday (15th August) aged 91 at his home in Sarasota, Florida.
Wexler was the man who coined the term ‘Rhythm and Blues’ as a reporter back in the 1940’s and who went on to work with a jaw dropping list of artists, themselves huge figures in music.
From early involvement with Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Dusty Springfield and building Atlantic’s relationship with Stax Records, putting the label at the fore front of the Soul lexicon. Wexler went onto sign Led Zeppelin, oversee Bob Dylan’s ‘born again’ album ‘Slow Train Coming’ and was inducted in the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Credited with the evolution of the ‘Producer’ role as we know it today, Wexler was a man who lived and breathed music and was midwife to some of the Twentieth Centuries most vital and important music.
