Legendary Atlantic Records producer, Jerry Wexler, dies

Legendary music producer Jerry Wexler, who coined the term "rhythm and blues" and shaped the careers of stars such as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, has died aged 91, a record company said Friday.

Wexler, who helped run Atlantic Records in a successful partnership with Ahmet Ertegun from 1953 to 1975, died at his home in Florida, Atlantic said in a statement released on the Warner Music Group website.

No cause of death was revealed but US media reported that Wexler had died of congenital heart disease.

During 22 years with Atlantic, Wexler worked with some of the music world's biggest names, including Charles, Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Willie Nelson, Cher, Dusty Springfield and Bob Dylan.

"The history of Atlantic Records and of sound of contemporary music would be very different without the impact that Jerry's great ears, uncanny intuition, and true genius had on countless artists and their music," Atlantic said.

"He will be deeply missed by those who knew him and, more importantly, by the millions who -- knowingly or unknowingly -- have heard his phenomenal body of work."

Wexler, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, was born in New York in 1917 and served in the Navy during World War II.

After serving in the military he joined Billboard Magazine as a journalist, where he famously coined the term "rhythm and blues" before joining Atlantic as a partner in 1953.

At Atlantic he presided over a golden age of music, overseeing classic recordings by the likes of soul legend Charles, the Drifters and Ruth Brown.

In the 1960s, notable collaborations included Springfield's "Dusty in Memphis" album, and later he and Ertegun signed Led Zeppelin to Atlantic.

After leaving Atlantic in 1975, Wexler joined Warner Bros Records, where he worked with Dylan on the album "Slow Train Coming."

"He understood music and musicians in a way few label executives did, and was able to inspire them to do their best and most original work," Atlantic said. "Our condolences go out to Jerry's family and friends during this sad and difficult time."

Wexler once described his style as being "the guy in the middle who is neither an engineer nor a musician, but an ear to hear what is happening."

"You keep it rolling; you know the choices that must be made," he said. "In my analysis, the final determination is that if you can't go out and change the music, you aren't a producer. You are merely presiding at a happening."