This is an interesting intersection of two lives. Ahmet Ertegun was the son of Turkey's ambassador to Washington. He took out a ten thousand dollar loan, from his dentist, and started Atlantic Records. That label became legendary, and a prime mover, of the earliest rhythm and blues music in the 1950's. Names on that label, in those early days, included Ray Charles and Ruth Brown.

One of the original Atlantic artists was blues shouter Big Joe Turner. Turner had been a singer with Count Basie. Atlantic had a song especially written for their label and they gave it to Big Joe. That song was Shake Rattle and Roll. This was, no doubt about it, one of the early influences on rock music and what it would become. Shake Rattle and Roll was later recorded by Bill Haley and the king himself, Elvis Presley. Here is the original by Big Joe. 

That song made it to #1 on the R&B charts and to #22 on the pop charts in 1954. Turner made lots of money over the years but he did not save a sufficient amount for himself. He died penniless in 1987 and Ertegun paid for Joe's funeral and paid off the mortgage on the widow's home.

Atlantic had way too many major recordings over the years to name here. After all, they had artists such as Aretha, the Rascals and Led Zeppelin. But one of their most remembered songs, a true classic of R&B, came out in 1966. You have to remember this one by Percy Sledge. It is the epitome of classy R&B.

 For more "Stories Behind the Music" click on the guitar  

 Steven L. Smith

Bellingham WA Home Inspections