After falling backstage at former President Bill Clinton’s 60th birthday bash in New York City on Oct. 29, Atlantic Records founder and longtime jazz supporter Ahmet Ertegun (pictured) has been listed in stable condition. The 83-year-old impresario slipped and hit his head as the Rolling Stones were taking the stage, causing him to sink into a coma.
The son of a Turkish diplomat, Ertegun founded Atlantic in 1947 with his brother Nesuhi. The label was a pioneer in the fields of R&B, jazz and blues, releasing Ray Charles and Duke Ellington in its formative years before attaining worldwide recognition for promoting cutting-edge rock ‘n’ roll like Led Zeppelin, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and AC/DC. Ertegun was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
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