I’d be happy if people said that I did a little bit to raise the dignity and recognition of the greatness of African-American music. Ahmet Ertegun Read Quote
I came close to signing Elvis Presley. I offered $25,000 for his contract and they asked for $45,000 and I just didn’t have the other $20,000. Ahmet Ertegun Read Quote
My father was in Ataturk’s closest group. They lived together during the War of Liberation in Turkey. Ahmet Ertegun Read Quote
The songwriters whom we think of being the greatest songwriters usually write one hit and six or seven flops. That includes the Irving Berlins and the Hoagy Carmichaels, the Harold Arlens, Cole Porter. Ahmet Ertegun Read Quote
If anybody asks me where I’m from, my first inclination is to say, ‘Washington,’ because that’s where I grew up meaningfully. Ahmet Ertegun Read Quote
I’ve lived very well all my life, even when I had no money, and there’s very little I can’t afford. Ahmet Ertegun Read Quote
As I grew up, I began to discover a little bit about the situation of black people in America and experienced an immediate empathy with the victims of such senseless discrimination. Because although the Turks were never slaves, they were regarded as enemies within Europe because of their Muslim beliefs. Ahmet Ertegun Read Quote
I think it’s better to burn out than to fade away… it’s better to live out your days being very, very active – even if it destroys you – than to quietly… disappear. Ahmet Ertegun Read Quote
Jesse Stone did more to develop the basic rock-and-roll sound than anybody else. Ahmet Ertegun Read Quote
There is a certain sort of excess that is interesting, don’t you think? And America is, of course, the most excessive place. Ahmet Ertegun Read Quote
