It is a great life, this life of music.

- Ahmet Ertegun

There are still many great surviving talents: Stevie Winwood. Another great talent is Stevie Wonder. Another one is Eric Clapton. Another one is Phil…

- Ahmet Ertegun

The songwriters whom we think of being the greatest songwriters usually write one hit and six or seven flops.

- Ahmet Ertegun

Everyone felt like they knew Ray Charles and in a way they did, because he was embodied by his music.

- Ahmet Ertegun

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. I shou…

- Ahmet Ertegun

I've been in the studio when you go through a track and you run down a track and you know even before the singer starts singing, you know the track i…

- Ahmet Ertegun

My father was a very religious person. And he prayed five times a day. And he did that throughout his relationship with Ataturk - at a time when it w…

- Ahmet Ertegun

My first wife was a theater person.

- Ahmet Ertegun

People like Clyde McPhatter who came out of the black churches - like Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin - were all church singers who became great pop si…

- Ahmet Ertegun