Quincy Jones, a famous musician known for his work as an artist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and producer, has died at the age of 91. He passed away on Sunday night at his home in Bel Air, California. His family announced the news, but they did not share the cause of death.
In their statement, the Jones family said, “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. Although this is a great loss for our family, we celebrate the wonderful life he lived.”
Quincy Jones was a major figure in the entertainment world, often referred to simply as “Q.” He started in jazz music but became one of the biggest names in pop music. He won six Grammy Awards for his 1990 album Back on the Block and was named Producer of the Year three times.
Many people know him best for his work with Michael Jackson, starting with Jackson’s 1979 album Off the Wall, which sold about 20 million copies worldwide. Their collaboration continued with the record-breaking album Thriller in 1982, which remains the best-selling album of all time, with over 110 million copies sold. Jones also produced Jackson’s album Bad in 1987.
In 1985, Jones made headlines when he produced the charity song “We Are the World,” which aimed to help those suffering from famine in Africa. The song was co-written by Jackson and Lionel Richie and featured many famous artists.
Jones was the first African American to write music for a major movie, creating the score for The Pawnbroker in 1964. He received seven Oscar nominations for his music and won the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1995.
On television, Jones was the executive producer of the popular sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which helped launch Will Smith’s acting career. He also produced the recent reboot of Bel-Air and other shows.
Born Quincy Delight Jones Jr. in Chicago, he began playing the trumpet as a child. His family moved to Seattle when he was 10, where he met Ray Charles at age 14. After studying at the Berklee School of Music, he toured with the big band of Lionel Hampton.
Throughout his career, Jones produced music for many artists, including Aretha Franklin and George Benson. However, it was his work with Michael Jackson that truly made him a superstar in the music industry.
Jones founded Qwest Records in 1980 and produced the soundtrack for Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple. He released many successful albums and worked with many artists throughout his life.
In recent years, he continued to work in music, collaborating with various artists and celebrating his 90th birthday in July 2023 with special performances.
Quincy Jones received many awards, including the Recording Academy’s Legend Award and the National Medal of the Arts from President Obama. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
He wrote an autobiography titled Q, which won a Grammy for best spoken word album.
Jones is survived by six daughters and a son.
LM/SR