Whether as a conductor, producer, musician, philanthropist, or cultural force, Quincy Jones' love of music transcended pretty much any barrier you can think of. His legacy and impact cannot be overstated, and the whole music and entertainment worlds now mourns his loss. The Chicago native, per an Associated Press report, passed away at the age of 91. According to his publicist Arnold Robinson's statement to the outlet, he transitioned into a higher plane on Sunday night (November 3) in his Bel Air home. Jones was "surrounded by his family," who issued a statement on his passing that spoke to his magnanimous place in music history.
"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 family stated. His career spans all the way back to the 1950s, impressing as a jazz conductor and arranger while working with artists like Frank Sinatra and Leslie Gore.
Quincy Jones Passes Away At 91
In addition, Quincy Jones' expansion into movies, TV, and other mediums of music resulted in him being the first African-American Oscar nominee for Best Original Song in 1968 for the track "The Eyes Of Love" from Banning. He also worked on various other iconic shows and films even if the breadth of his ideas didn't always come to light, such as an original theme for The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. There are many iconic musical moments over the modern era that you can attribute to Jones, even if the connection wasn't always explicit. He was just that prolific and passionate.
Perhaps the most iconic and recognizable contribution that Quincy Jones offered music was his work with Michael Jackson. He produced arguably the most consequential albums of the King of Pop's catalog: Off The Wall in 1979, Thriller in 1982, and Bad in 1987. This and other masterworks led Jones to win 28 Grammys in his career, the third-most of all time as of writing this article. His magic will never fade.
Rest In Peace Quincy Jones.