Quincy Delight Jones, Jr., a renowned musician and producer who shaped popular music for seven decades, died on Sunday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 91 years old. Jones leaves behind an unmatched legacy that broke down barriers and introduced millions of fans around the world to a variety of genres.
Jones was born in Chicago and raised in Seattle, where he learned to play trumpet and arrange music from a young age. He studied at the Berklee School of Music and started his career arranging and performing with jazz legends like Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie. By age 25, Jones had established himself as one of the top arrangers and trumpet players in jazz music.
In the 1960s, Jones made history as the first Black person to compose a major movie score, for the 1964 film “The Pawnbroker.” This opened doors for other Black artists in Hollywood. He went on to receive seven Academy Award nominations for his film work.
Jones is best known for his hits with Michael Jackson in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their collaborations on albums like “Off the Wall” and the best-selling album of all time, “Thriller,” yielded 18 top-10 singles and 10 number-one hits. Jones won four of his 28 career Grammy Awards for this successful partnership.
Beyond music, Jones also made his mark in television and magazines. He executive produced the sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and founded Vibe magazine, an influential hip-hop publication. Jones received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1995 for his philanthropic work.
Up until his final years, Jones remained actively involved in the music world. He appeared on The Weeknd’s 2022 album “Dawn FM” and celebrated his 90th birthday with a concert at the Hollywood Bowl featuring artists from his decades-long career.
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Jones was married and divorced three times. He is survived by his seven children. His contributions helped shape popular music and broke barriers for Black artists across many industries over seven decades.
