Legendary Music Producer Quincy Jones Dies at 91

Legendary music producer Quincy Jones is dead at the age of 91. He passed at his home in Bel Air on November 3 to causes not yet specified.

It’s difficult to narrow down Jones’ most incredible career markers as he was a bit of everything. From musician, music arranger, writer, composer and producer, Jones’ talent knew no bounds. He began his career in the 1950s and 60s as a bandleader in recordings with Ray Charles on One Mint Julep and Frank Sinatra on Fly Me To The Moon. Creating a soundtrack to 1984 The Color Purple is one of his greatest achievements as the film achieved many accolades including 11 Academy Award Nominations.

Certainly most notably, Jones’ played a major role in sending Michael Jackson into the stratosphere of icon status with his work on Jackson’s album Off The Wall in 1979 and three years later, Thriller. The album became Jackson’s first number one album on the US Billboard charts and eventually earned the title as the best-selling album of all time. With hits off the album including, Wanna Be Starting Something, Beat It, Billie Jean, Human Nature, The Girl Is Mine and of course Thriller, the album has sold over 70 million copies worldwide.

Jones also produced Jackson’s 1987 album Bad and, collectively, with the success of those albums alone, are credited with changing the way the masses accepted pop music. MTV’s aversion to playing Black artists because, “It’s not MTV’s audience” eventually had no choice but to give in to the fever pitch around Jackson and his rising popularity.

Shortly after the Thriller success, Jones had the influence to be able to gather more than 40 singers, whose genres ranged from pop to country to rock and roll. His work on the We Are The World song, raised money for USA for Africa’s famine relief. The roster on the album seemed a line-up like no other, and music hasn’t seen a combination like this since. Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Cindy Lauper, Ray Charles, Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Dione Warwick and Lionel Richie are just a few of the stars in the studio on that January evening in 1985.

Besides music, Jones produced television sitcoms such as The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air and Mad TV. Additionally, he helped to start up the magazine Vibe as well as publish Spin.

Jones has many awards to his name, including 28 Grammy Awards, one Emmy Award, and one Tony Award.

Jones is survived by his seven children, and three grandchildren.