It was announced that musician and producer who worked with the likes of Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Patti Austen and many others, has died.
Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, said that the legend passed away peacefully on Sunday night at his home in Bel Air. The family said in a statement: "With full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing.
“And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him." Jones was best known as the producer of Michael Jackson's ‘Off the Wall,’ ‘Thriller’ and ‘Bad’ albums.
Over his career that spanned more than 75 years, he won 28 Grammy awards and was named as one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century by Time magazine. He worked closely with Sinatra early in his career and reworked the crooner's classic ‘Fly Me to The Moon’, taking it from a waltz to a swing, whilst also touring with Count Basie and Lionel Hampton and organized President Bill Clinton’s first inaugural celebration.
In the film ‘The Wiz,’ Jones found himself working alongside a 19-year-old Jackson. In 1985, he (Jones) gathered 46 of America's most popular singers of the time, including Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner and Cyndi Lauper to record ‘We Are the World’ - co-writing the song to raise money for those suffering from a devastating famine in Ethiopia. The record was the US equivalent to ‘Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas’, with the hit reached number one in the UK and the US and was performed at Live Aid.
His 1989 studio album ‘Back on the Block’ featured musicians and singers from across three generations, including Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Barry White, Chaka Khan, Take 6, Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, El DeBarge, Ray Charles and a then-13-year-old Tevin Campbell.
Jones also composed the soundtrack to more than 50 films and TV programmes including the 1969 British film, ‘The Italian Job’. On the big screen he produced the film ‘The Color Purple’ which introduced the public to two then unknown performers - Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg, and the Austen Powers movies.
On the small screen he was one of the producers behind the hit TV show ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’, composed the soundtracks for ‘Roots’ and ‘In the Heat of the Night,’ with his work the 1970’s detective show, ‘Ironside’, and, more recent, the semi-animated ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ also garnering many awards. But it was music where he excelled - as well as winning multiple Grammys, including a legend award in 1992, he was also recognised by the Emmys, Tony's and Oscars.
Jones was married three times and had seven children who include music producer Quincy Jones III and actress Rashida Jones, known for the US version of ‘The Office’. Quincy’s family described the music producer as s “truly one of a kind and through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones' heart will beat for eternity".
Leading tributes, playwright Jeremy O'Harris said on X , external that Jones' "contributions to American culture were limitless", noting he was the first Black person nominated for an Oscar for best score among his other achievements. He was 91.
