Jerry Wexler, RIP
Bob from Brockley has a nice tribute to the late Jerry Wexler, one of the most influential and accomplished producers in pop history:
Born in 1917, he was already close to 40 when he produced his first records at Ahmet Ertugen's and Herb Abramson's Atlantic Records, including the incredible music of Professor Longhair, then Ray Charles (meaning he was there at the birth of soul music) and Big Joe Turner (meaning he was there at the birth of rock 'n' roll)….
In the 1960s, Wexler gave us Aretha's "Respect" and "Do Right Woman", Wilson Pickett's "Midnight Hour" and Dusty in Memphis. In the 1970s, he gave us Dr John's Gumbo and worked on Etta James' best (and funkiest) records. And he enabled Willie Nelson to reinvent country music. Nelson's Shotgun Willie—co-produced with Wexler's friend, the Turkish Arif Mardin, half recorded at Atlantic in New York, half in Memphis—was the key record in "outlaw country", one of my favourite genres. Part of what the album did was reconnect country to its close relation, blues….
He also took Dylan to Muscle Shoals for his wonderful, underrated Slow Train Coming.
Shotgun Willie and Slow Train Coming, by a country star and a rock star, contain some of the best soul music ever recorded. Because they were produced by the same white Jewish guy.