Quincy Jones, a jack-of-all-musical-trades who found success as a performer, composer, conductor, producer, songwriter, and executive, has died at age 91. Jones passed away at home in Bel Air, California, his publicist told Variety and other outlets on Sunday, November 3. “He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, which was the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created,†his family said. “Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’s heart will beat for eternity.†Often known simply as “Q,†he worked in music for over 60 years, winning 28 Grammys and crafting countless hits for generations of singers, from Lesley Gore to Michael Jackson.
Before he became one of music’s most visible moguls, Jones was a trumpeter who performed with jazz musicians like Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie, and he backed Elvis Presley multiple times. He soon began working as the house music director at Mercury Records, and he worked his way up to vice-president at the label. He also began scoring movies, starting with the 1964 drama The Pawnbroker. By 1968, he received his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Score for In Cold Blood. The same year, he was up for Best Original Song for “The Eyes of Love,†from Banning, making him the first Black nominee in that category, along with the first Black person to be nominated for two Oscars in the same year. At the same time, Jones composed hits of his own, like the 1962 song “Soul Bossa Nova†(later known as the Austin Powers theme), and produced Lesley Gore’s early-’60s string of hits, along with arranging and conducting albums for Frank Sinatra.
While working as the music supervisor on the 1978 film adaptation of The Wiz, Jones met Michael Jackson, and thus began his most fruitful collaboration. He produced Jackson’s next three albums, Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, helping craft a then-unmatched period of pop dominance. Jones also worked with Jackson and Lionel Richie to produce the hit charity single “We Are the World†and wrangle dozens of pop stars for the project.
Jones extended his success to film, producing The Color Purple in 1985, and television, producing The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He also founded the R&B and hip-hop magazine Vibe. He had seven children, including Parks and Recreation actress Rashida Jones, producer Quincy Jones III, designer Kidada Jones, and model Kenya Kinski-Jones.
In a dishy 2018 Vulture interview, Jones said “everything†he did “was something to be proud of,†adding that he wasn’t afraid of death. Of his musical skill, he added, “I can make a band play like a singer sings. That’s what arranging is, and it’s a great gift. I wouldn’t trade it for shit.â€