Quincy Jones, legendary thriller producer, dies at 91

The news of his death was confirmed by Arnold Robinson, the musician’s publicist.

Goodbye to the music producer

Legendary music producer and arranger Quincy Jones, known for writing Michael Jackson’s major albums, died last Sunday (3/11) at the age of 91. His publicist, Arnold Robinson, said he died surrounded by family at his home in Bel Air, Los Angeles.

“With full but broken hearts, we must share the news of the passing of our father and brother Quincy Jones,” the family said in a news release. “And while this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life he lived and know there will never be another like him.”

Acclaimed career

Born in Chicago, Quincy Jones often cites church hymns sung by his mother, Sarah Frances, as his earliest musical memories. At the age of seven, the matriarch was hospitalized with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, something that left her world “meaningless.”

Jones ended up getting involved in gangs in the North American region until he started playing the piano at a neighbor’s house. Years later, he found himself playing the trumpet and being close friends with the then young musician Ray Charles. He already had an established career by the early 1960s, when he became vice president of the record label Mercury Record.

In 1971, Jones became the first black musical director to attend an Oscar ceremony and received honorary degrees from Harvard, the Berklee School of Music and other institutions. And speaking of titles, he has won a long list of awards, with 28 Grammys, two honorary Oscars and an Emmy.

I work with celebrities

Quincy Jones was responsible for producing some of Michael Jackson’s most memorable albums: “Off The Wall” (1979), “Bad” (1987) and “Thriller” (1983), which sold more than 20 million copies alone in the launch year. The producer also signed “We Are The World” (1985), a project that brought together dozens of international stars to raise funds for Africa. He is also the author of the opening song of the Will Smith series “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”.

The musician has also successfully worked alongside artists such as Lionel Richie, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Cindy Lauper and Bruce Springsteen, as well as producing arrangements for names such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald and touring with jazz musicians such as Count Basie. , Lionel Hampton and Billy Holiday.

Jones was still a fan of Brazilian popular music (MPB) and even marched in Portela in 2006, when he mounted a float in defense of the theme “Brazil, mark your face and show it to the world”.

Source: Terra

Earl

Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.