Quincy Jones, one of the most influential figures in American popular music for over half a century, has passed away at his Bel Air home in Los Angeles on Sunday night at the age of 91. His spokesperson, Arnold Robinson, announced the news but did not specify the cause of death.
Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones was introduced to music early on. Following his parents’ divorce, he moved to Washington state with his father, where he learned to play drums and various instruments in his high school band. By age 14, he was performing with Ray Charles in Seattle clubs. After studying music at Seattle University, he moved to Boston to further his musical education. Jones’ solo career flourished in the late 1950s, leading a jazz band with renowned artists like Charles Mingus, Art Pepper, and Freddie Hubbard. Originally a jazz trumpeter, Jones rose to prominence as a composer, creating music for big bands like Count Basie’s and later as a film composer and record producer.
Jones’ career-defining moment came with Michael Jackson, transforming Thriller into the best-selling album of all time, with over 110 million copies sold. In 1983 alone, Thriller sold over 20 million copies, competing with iconic albums like the Eagles’ Greatest Hits 1971-1975.
His collaboration with Frank Sinatra began in 1958, when actress Grace Kelly hired Jones to organize Sinatra’s band for a charity event. Jones continued working with Sinatra until his final album, LA Is My Lady (1984).
Jones’ musical instincts helped Jackson evolve from a child star to the “King of Pop.” With classic hits like Billie Jean and Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, Jones and Jackson fused disco, funk, rock, pop, R&B, jazz, and African hymns. Jones also produced We Are the World, the 1985 charity single for Ethiopian famine relief. Co-writer Lionel Richie hailed Jones as a “master arranger.”
Jones composed numerous film scores, earning many chart-topping hits. In 1968, he became the first African American to be nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars for The Eyes of Love from the film Banning, composed with Bob Russell. He received seven Oscar nominations for his music throughout his career and, in 1971, became the first African American musical director for the Oscars.
In 1990, he founded his own film and television production company, gaining success with the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which launched Will Smith’s career. Even in his 80s, Jones launched the music streaming service Qwest TV in 2017. With 80 Grammy nominations and 28 wins, he ranks third for the most Grammy nominations, behind Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
An avid community activist, Jones championed causes like HIV/AIDS awareness, children’s education, and poverty alleviation worldwide. He established the Quincy Jones Listen Up! Foundation to connect young people with music, culture, and technology.
Jones narrowly escaped death twice – first in 1969 when he missed an appointment at Sharon Tate’s home the night of the Manson family murders, and again in 1974 when a brain aneurysm left him unable to play the trumpet for fear of further injury. In the 1980s, he battled depression after his score for The Color Purple was snubbed at the Oscars.
