Frank Fenter - Atlantic Records. London, England. 1966 To 1969

Atlantic Records. London, England. 1966 To 1969

In 1966, Frank Fenter was chosen by Atlantic Records partner Nesuhi Ertegun to head the label in the United Kingdom. Within six months, Frank Fenter was the Managing Director in charge of Atlantic Records' operations in all of Europe. Fenter was responsible for making Atlantic Records the most important American label in promoting British music, according to the late Ahmet Ertegun, co-founder and Chairman of Atlantic Records. Working with his good friend Giorgio Gomelsky, the former manager of the Yardbirds and the first manager of the Rolling Stones, Fenter played a vital role in having brought Led Zeppelin to Atlantic Records and helped discover and sign such British progressive-rock groups as Yes and King Crimson.

According to Ahmet Ertegun, Frank Fenter was instrumental in breaking Rhythm and Blues music throughout Europe, having brought the "Hit the Road Stax" tour there in the spring of 1967; which included the acts Otis Redding, Sam and Dave and Booker T and the MGs. At the start of the European tour, Fenter had Tom Dowd record the live concerts and with Fenter's direction, Stax Records, a label affiliated with Atlantic Records, experienced a sales jump, with seven of the eleven albums recorded live on the European tour received gold certifications.