Quincy Jones, the well-known American musician and producer who labored with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and lots of others, has died on the age of 91.
Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, stated he “died peacefully” Sunday night at his dwelling in Bel Air.
“Tonight, with full however damaged hearts, we should share the information of the passing of our father and brother Quincy Jones. And whereas that is an unbelievable loss for our household, we have a good time the nice life he lived and know that there’s none won’t ever be one other.” like him,” the household stated in a press release.
Jones was greatest referred to as the producer of Michael Jackson’s Thriller album.
Over a profession that spanned greater than 75 years, he gained 28 Grammy Awards and was named one of the influential jazz musicians of the twentieth century by Time journal.
He labored intently with Sinatra and reworked the crooner’s basic Fly Me To The Moon, remodeling it from waltz to swing.
For the movie The Wiz, Jones discovered himself working alongside nineteen-year-old Michael Jackson. He went on to supply Jackson’s Off the Wall album and the pop star’s subsequent Thriller – which offered 34 million copies within the US alone – and Bad.
In 1985, Jones introduced collectively 46 of the most well-liked American singers of the time, together with Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner and Cyndi Lauper, to document We Are the World.
Jones co-wrote the tune to lift cash for these affected by the devastating famine in Ethiopia. The document was the American equal of Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas.
The hit reached primary within the UK and US and was carried out at Live Aid.
Getty ImagesJones additionally composed the scores for greater than 50 movies and TV exhibits together with the 1969 British movie, The Italian Job.
Michael Caine, protagonist of The Italian Job, paid homage to Jones oncalling him “a titan within the musical world”.
“He was a beautiful, distinctive human being, fortunate to have identified him.”
Sir Elton John also praised Jones and stated that “nobody had an unbelievable profession” like him, writing: “He performed with the very best and produced the very best. What a man. I cherished him.”
Television producer Shonda Rhimes called it “a legend, a visionary, a pioneer”.
On the massive display, Jones produced the movie The Color Purple, which launched audiences to 2 then-unknown artists: Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg.
Posting a tribute on Instagram, Goldberg stated he was “one in all a sort.”
On the small display, he was one of many producers behind the hit tv present The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
But it was in music that Jones excelled: along with successful quite a few Grammys, together with a Legend Award in 1992, he was additionally acknowledged by the Emmys, Tonys and Oscars.
Jones was married thrice and had seven youngsters, together with music producer Quincy Jones III and actress Rashida Jones, identified for the American model of The Office.
Getty ImagesJones’ household stated the music producer was “actually one in all a sort” and “by his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ coronary heart will beat for eternity.”
One of the primary to pay homage was the playwright Jeremy O’Harris, who wrote about X that Jones’ “contributions to American tradition have been limitless”, noting that he was the primary black nominated for an Oscar for greatest rating amongst his different achievements.
Rapper LL Cool J, who briefly dated Jones’ daughter Kidada Jones, he said on Instagram that Jones was “a father and an instance at a time after I actually wanted a father.”
He added, “Mentor. Role mannequin. King. You gave me alternatives and shared knowledge. Music would not be music with out you.”
Singer Victoria Monét stated Jones’ “legacy will stay endlessly and ever” and the musician Nile Rodgers posted on X: “Rest in energy.”
Ice T also paid tribute and wrote, “Genius is an outline loosely used however not often deserved. Suddenly, Quincy was the MAN. I gained my first Grammy with Quincy and stay by his knowledge every day.”
Singer Darius Rucker said we had “misplaced one of many best of all time” whereas the British DJ Tony Blackburn wrote on X that Jones was a “musical genius”.
Mathieu Jaton, CEO of the Montreux Jazz Festival, who labored alongside Quincy for a few years, stated Jones’ spirit will “endlessly resonate” with the competition’s historical past.
He added that Jones, as co-producer within the Nineteen Nineties, “helped elevate the competition to new heights.”
