Wexler
David Knopfler
What a thrill to recently see Jerry Wexler, co-founder of Atlantic records and Godfather of Soul still alive and well and talking on British Television with such animation about MUSIC. I first met him in the late seventies when he was Producer for Dire Straits and a Vice President at WEA in The States. I went with my then girlfriend and stayed with him socially for a few days in his New York apartment, where he very graciously made us most welcome. I'll never forget his excitement playing me Dr. John or Mac Rabinack, the name Jerry knew him by, and watching my face thrilled to hear the piano playing of a master; or the passion of his conviction when he told me that in his view Solomon Burke was the greatest soul singer ever, something he repeated on TV these fifteen years later. As a young, just signed musician, in 1978, this was obviously just the kind of thing that I related to. I recall when Jerry's then second wife threw a dinner party. A very polite intelligent looking man was sitting opposite me, with whom I didn't dare exchange a single word, because he was clearly a high flying corporate executive, unlike Jerry (WEA Vice Pres) who was sitting there in his shorts. This man none the less had an obvious and genuine respect for Wexler. That was in fact, the now legendary head of Arista, not that the name would have meant anything to me at that time. The head of Electra was sitting next to him too come to think of it. Okay enough- you get the picture: Jerry was an extraordinary gentlemen whose every living moment was in the arena of enjoying great songs, great artists and the pleasure of passing that pleasure on. Long may he prosper.
I have of course subsequently met a number of corporate executives of our illustrious profession many of whom I enjoy seeing from time to time, some more than others it must be said, and while I do recall Art Delhausen (Former head of Polygram International) buying me a beer at Midem in the mid- eighties just for the pleasure of talking about JJ Cale, times I guess have changed and somehow the idea that the head of say Polygram Germany these days might call me up, "Hey Dave, why not come over and be my guest at my apartment I've got this Ragtime Blues tape that'll really blow you apart." Er ... No. . . . not even in my dreams. Rescheduling ten billion shares because business was good - yeah - but music - no and what's more he'd probably be equally horrified if people were to regard him as anything other than a business man who has talent for running a corporation, any corporation.
Copyright control David Knopfler 1993
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