Music powerhouse Quincy Jones dead at 91

The multifaceted music titan worked with artists like Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and many more

By Nardos Haile

Staff Writer

Published November 4, 2024 11:58AM (EST)

Quincy Jones presenting Amanda Booth the Global's Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award at the Global Down Syndrome Foundation's Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show at Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel on November 02, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Tom Cooper/Getty Images for Global Down Syndrome Foundation)
Quincy Jones presenting Amanda Booth the Global's Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award at the Global Down Syndrome Foundation's Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show at Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel on November 02, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Tom Cooper/Getty Images for Global Down Syndrome Foundation)

Quincy Jones, the pioneering, award-winning music producer and musician who worked with artists like Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra, died on Sunday at the age of 91.

Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, told the Associated Press that the star died in his home in Los Angeles surrounded by his family.

Jones' family said in a statement Sunday evening, “Tonight, 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.”

The 28-time Grammy winner was a titan of American music and culture, hopping through genres R&B, pop, jazz and rap in his plethora of work. However, Jones was best known for bolstering Jackson's career by producing albums like "Off the Wall," "Thriller" and "Bad." The multi-talented musician and producer rose to success after graduating from Berklee College of Music, in Boston, and becoming a trumpet player in bands for the jazz titans Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie in the '50s. He went on to work with Sinatra, Paul Simon, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin and many other musicians.

The Chicago-born musician would also transform music in other mediums by creating film and television scores, including "The Color Purple" which earned him seven Academy Award nominations. According to Pitchfork, Jones scored 40 films and hundreds of television shows. He would also work on solo projects like his albums "Body Heat" and "The Dude." He was also tapped to music supervise on the musical "The Wiz." Through his music, Jones became a philanthropist and activist, co-writing the star-studded charity single "We Are the World" with Lionel Richie.

This year, Jones was set to receive an honorary Oscar from Academy’s Board of Governors for his contributions to the art of film.

Jones is survived by his brother, Richard Jones, his two sisters, Margie Jay and Theresa Frank and his seven children: Jolie, Kidada, Kenya, Martina, Rachel, actress Rashida Jones and Quincy III.


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