Quincy Jones, a groundbreaking producer who shaped American sounds through his long career, died at 91, according to his family. Influential as a transformer across the vast expanse of jazz, pop, R&B, and film, Quincy Jones spent seven decades working with everybody from Frank Sinatra to Ray Charles to Michael Jackson.
Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones developed an interest in music from an early age. Having had a rather rough childhood, he began performing in jazz clubs at 14 years old, along with Ray Charles. He studied in Boston and later moved to New York and into the world of jazz, playing with Miles Davis, among others. His career spread all over the world and his stay in Europe in the 1950s would influence his musical style and contacts.
Jones was a music genius who also did hits like It’s My Party for Lesley Gore and orchestrated classic albums from George Benson and Chaka Khan. His milestone achievements were in the 1980s when he, with Michael Jackson, released Thriller, to date the best-selling album of all time, and also co-productions of the charity anthem, We Are the World which brought millions of aid donations for the relief from Ethiopia famine.
Jones also went into film and television work, composing The Color Purple and producing The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He earned 28 Grammys in total for his compositions, making him an irreplaceable music icon.
The family said in a statement that they take pride in the life of Jones and career. “His music and legacy will live on, and it’s a very sad time,” they added. This world says goodbye to a legend who has paved the way and changed the soundscape of American culture with his influence.
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