SIESTA KEY - Jerry Wexler, a major player in the recording industry from the 1950s to the 1980s and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, died at his Siesta Key home Friday. He was 91.

At Atlantic Records, Wexler signed or produced some of the biggest names in the business: Ray Charles, The Coasters, The Drifters, Solomon Burke, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Willie Nelson, Dusty Springfield, Cher and Dr. John.

Wexler started out as a writer and editor for Billboard magazine in the 1940s and coined the phrase "rhythm and blues" to replace the magazine's use of "race records" in its chart listings.

How sad. He was a lovely man as well as a legend. I must dig out my Ent USA interview with him and stick it on You Tube.

Brilliant, vital, crucial, giant of a music figure. I cannot stress how important.

Great person? Probably not, considering how he completely did over Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton over re Stax.

Jerry created the word "oversouling" which I always described as "over singing" and memorably said the two words he wanted on his tombstone were "more bass".

Paul Wexler said a private service will take place in the coming weeks in Sarasota, and his tombstone will read: "He changed the world."

"I don't think I'm overreaching," he said.

I think MORE BASS is more appropriate, funnier and says it all.

In the book the Atlantic Years, which I can`t find my copy of to check this memory, Jerry is quoted as referring to Led Zep as the "droogs " or "drones" or something, either way he was not impressed.
After a minor paddy on the subject with Ahmet he travelled to re-find a singer he had heard years earlier to record what he would consider "real music".
This was Aretha Franklin.

You have to simply take your hat off to any company with such diverse and all time successful acts.