r/60smemorylane

On this day in 1876, Götterdämmerung, the final part of the Ring Cycle by Richard Wagner, made its premiere. I offer up this song in tribute to that musical classic and in memory of Grane who was an unfortunate victim of an equicide at the very end of the tetralogy.

Jerry Wexler (January 10, 1917 – August 15, 2008) not only was instrumental in making Atlantic Records one of the biggest purveyors of soul and R&B music in the 1950s and 1960s but he literally invented the term "Rhythm and Blues" music. They used to be called "race records" which was a self-referral by African-Americans too. Anyway, he also helped to sign Led Zeppelin to Atlantic as well. He was an important producer too. In 1967 he was named Record Executive of the Year for turning Aretha Franklin's career around. In November 1966, Franklin's Columbia recording contract expired; at that time, she owed the company money because record sales had not met expectations. Working with Wexler and Atlantic, Franklin was "the most successful singer in the nation" by 1968. He was also a big promoter of the studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama where many a great soul and rock record came from. He produced this record. Three Franklin sisters sing on this one.