Quincy Jones, the celebrated musician and producer famous for his collaborations with legends like Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra, has passed away.
His publicist, Arnold Robinson, confirmed that he “passed away peacefully” on Sunday night at his home in Bel Air.
Jones’ family released a heartfelt statement: “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. While this is a tremendous loss for our family, we celebrate the remarkable life he lived and recognize that there will never be another like him.”
Best known for producing Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking album, Thriller, Jones enjoyed a prolific career that spanned over 75 years. He won 28 Grammy Awards and was acknowledged by Time magazine as one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century. His career featured important early collaborations with Frank Sinatra, including reworking the classic “Fly Me To The Moon” from a waltz to a swing style.
In the 1978 film The Wiz, he began his partnership with a young Michael Jackson, later producing Jackson’s hit albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, which helped propel Jackson to global superstardom.
In 1985, Jones led the iconic charity single “We Are the World,” which included 46 of the era’s top artists, such as Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, and Cyndi Lauper, to support famine relief efforts in Ethiopia.
The song reached number one in both the US and UK and was featured at Live Aid. Jones also composed soundtracks for over 50 films and television shows, including the 1969 British film The Italian Job.
Actor Michael Caine, who appeared in that film, paid tribute to Jones on social media, calling him “a titan in the musical world” and expressing his appreciation for having known him. Beyond his musical achievements, Jones produced the acclaimed film The Color Purple.
He was married three times and fathered seven children, including music producer Quincy Jones III and actress Rashida Jones, recognized for her role in the US adaptation of ‘The Office’.
He also served as a producer for the hit television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Over his remarkable career, Jones garnered various honors, including several Grammy Awards, an Emmy, a Tony, and an Oscar.
