Legendary musician and producer Quincy Jones died at age 91. His spokesperson Arnold Robinson said that Jones “passed away peacefully” at his Bel Air home on Sunday night. “With full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” his family stated in a statement, expressing both their sorrow and pleasure in his remarkable life.
One of Michael Jackson’s best-selling albums ever, ‘Thriller’, was produced by Jones, who is universally praised for this accomplishment. He received 28 Grammy awards during the course of his 75-year career, and ‘Time’ magazine named him one of the most significant jazz performers of the 20th century.
Jones worked with Frank Sinatra early in his career, most famously turning the waltz ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ into a swing hit. At the age of 19, he started working with Michael Jackson on the set of ‘The Wiz’. Together, they produced the classic albums ‘Thriller’ and ‘Bad’, as well as ‘Off the Wall’, which sold 20 million copies.
The biggest American stars, including Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, and Michael Jackson, were gathered by Jones in 1985 to record “We Are the World.” The song, which Jones co-wrote, rose to the top of the US and UK charts and was later performed at Live Aid with the goal of raising money for famine relief in Ethiopia.
Jones has composed music for more than 50 film and television soundtracks, including the British classic ‘The Italian Job’ (1969). He was a producer of the television series ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ and the film adaptation of ‘The Color Purple’, which brought Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg to a broader audience.
Among the many honors Jones received for his services to music were several Grammys, an Emmy, a Tony nomination, and an honorary Oscar. He was given a Grammy Legend Award in 1992, solidifying his reputation as a significant player in the music business.
The music producer Quincy Jones III and the ‘The Office’ actress Rashida Jones are two of Jones’ seven offspring from his three previous marriages. Through his music and legacy, his family claimed his “heart will beat for eternity” and called him “truly one of a kind.”
With playwright Jeremy O’Harris praising Jones’ “contributions to American culture were limitless” and highlighting his historic accomplishment as the first Black person nominated for an Oscar for Best Score, tributes streamed in.
With his inventive contributions to jazz, music, film, and television, Jones broke down barriers and motivated generations throughout his life. A cultural legend, he was able to unite artists and produce works that would never be forgotten.
One of the greatest musical, cinematic, and television influences in entertainment history will be Quincy Jones’s, a legacy that still has an impact on performers and viewers everywhere.
