Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun dies

A gift for picking hitmakers
In later years, Ertegun signed Midler, Roberta Flack and ABBA. He had a gift for being able to pick out what would be a commercial smash, said the late producer Arif Mardin, who remembered one session where he was working with the Bee Gees on an album — but was unsure of what he had produced.

“Then Ahmet came and listened to it, and said, ‘You’ve got hits here, you’ve got dance hits,”’ Mardin once told the AP. “I was involved in such a way that I didn’t see the forest for the trees. ... He was like the steadying influence.”

One strength of the company was Ertegun’s close relationships with many of the artists — relationships that continued even after they left his label. Midler still called for advice, and he visited Franklin’s home when he dropped into Detroit.

“He cared first and foremost about the artist and the music — much more than the business,” Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates said. “He believed that if the artist was true to him or herself, good business would follow. Sadly in today’s atmosphere, this isn’t the case. But, during Ahmet’s days of influence it was.”

His friendships extended to the younger generation, too, including Kid Rock and Lil’ Kim.

Besides his love of music, Ertegun was also known for his love of art, and socializing. It was not uncommon to find him at a party with his wife, Mica, hanging out until all hours with friends.

Although he was slowed by triple-bypass surgery in 2001, he still went into his office almost daily to listen for his next hit.

Music mogul Quincy Jones called Ertegun “definitely one of the pioneering visionaries in this whole scene.”

“He was a very 360-degree person. He loved to have a good time. He knew how to party, which is my kind of guy, and he knew how to work. He knew how to look into the future and how to execute to bring it to fruition,” Jones said in a phone interview from Los Angeles.

Finding those hits were among the most wonderful moments in his life, he said.

“I’ve been in the studio when you go through a track and you run down a track and you know even before the singer starts singing, you know the track is swinging ... you know you have a multimillion-seller hit — and what you’re working on suddenly has magic,” he said. “That’s the biggest.”

MORE FROM MORE NEWS AND OTHER FEATURES

Russell Brand to host MTV VMAs

Russell Brand to host MTV VMAs Alanis says breakup inspired her new album Lil Wayne sued for Stones copyright breach Come hear Uncle John's orchestra Miley overshadows 'Hannah' with new album Crow puts Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours' to rest Constantines, Black Keys: Bands with soul Carey, Timberlake to play Fashion Rocks Foreigner's Jones says new songs on the way The Jonas Brothers to perform at VMAs   Add More news and other features headlines to your news reader: