Jerry Wexler

Ageless, hip, erudite, caustic, lovable, tough and hypnotic: Jerry Wexler, who died Aug. 15 at 91, was a one-of-a-kind great man of music. Before helping shape the sound of the second half of the 20th century, he was the Billboard reporter who coined rhythm and blues to replace the category "race music" on the magazine's charts. With Ahmet Ertegun, he co-piloted Atlantic Records, once saying the label made "black music for black adults." But that underestimated the impact of the classics he produced--Aretha Franklin's Respect, Percy Sledge's When a Man Loves a Woman, Wilson Pickett's In the Midnight Hour and The...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!