Jerry Wexler
| Jerry Wexler | |
|---|---|
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| Born |
January 10, 1917 The Bronx, New York, United States |
| Died | August 15, 2008 (aged 91) Sarasota, Florida, United States |
| Alma mater | Kansas State University (B.A., Journalism, 1946) |
| Occupation | Music producer |
 Rock and Roll; Respect; Interview with Jerry Wexler, 22:01, WGBH Open Archive
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Gerald "Jerry" Wexler (January 10, 1917 – August 15, 2008) was a music journalist-turned music producer, and was one of the main record industry players behind music from the 1950s through the 1980s. He coined the term "rhythm and blues", and was integral in signing and/or producing many of the biggest acts of the last 50 years, including Ray Charles, the Allman Brothers, Chris Connor, Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, Wilson Pickett, Dire Straits, Dusty Springfield and Bob Dylan. Wexler was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Wexler was born in The Bronx, New York City, had a Jewish father of Polish ancestry and mother of German origin, and grew up in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan. He graduated from George Washington High School at age 15 and dropped out after two semesters at City College of New York. In 1935, Wexler enrolled at what is now Kansas State University and dropped out several times. Following his service in the Army, Wexler became a serious student, and he graduated from Kansas State, with a degree in journalism in 1946.
During his time as an editor, reporter, and writer for Billboard Magazine, Wexler coined the term "rhythm and blues". He became a partner in Atlantic Records in 1953. There followed classic recordings with Ray Charles, the Drifters and Ruth Brown. With Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegün, he built Atlantic Records into a major force in the recording industry. In 1967 he was named Record Executive of the Year for turning Aretha Franklin's career around.
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