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Quincy Jones, music titan who worked with everyone from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson, dies at 91

By HILLEL ITALIE

Quincy Jones, the multi-talented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, has died at 91.

Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, says he died Sunday night at his home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles, surrounded by his family.

“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” the family said in a statement. “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.”

Jones rose from running with gangs on the South Side of Chicago to the very heights of show business, becoming one of the first Black executives to thrive in Hollywood and amassing an extraordinary musical catalog that includes some of the richest moments of American rhythm and song. For years, it was unlikely to find a music lover who did not own at least one record with his name on it, or a leader in the entertainment industry and beyond who did not have some connection to him.

Jones kept company with presidents and foreign leaders, movie stars and musicians, philanthropists and business leaders. He toured with Count Basie and Lionel Hampton, arranged records for Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, composed the soundtracks for “Roots” and “In the Heat of the Night,” organized President Bill Clinton’s first inaugural celebration and oversaw the all-star recording of “We Are the World,” the 1985 charity record for famine relief in Africa.

Lionel Richie, who co-wrote “We Are the World” and was among the featured singers, would call Jones “the master orchestrator.”

In a career which began when records were still played on vinyl at 78 rpm, top honors likely go to his productions with Jackson: “Off the Wall,” “Thriller” and “Bad” were albums near-universal in their style and appeal. Jones’ versatility and imagination helped set off the explosive talents of Jackson as he transformed from child star to the “King of Pop.” On such classic tracks as “Billie Jean” and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” Jones and Jackson fashioned a global soundscape out of disco, funk, rock, pop, R&B and jazz and African chants. For “Thriller,” some of the most memorable touches originated with Jones, who recruited Eddie Van Halen for a guitar solo on the genre-fusing “Beat It” and brought in Vincent Price for a ghoulish voiceover on the title track.

“Thriller” sold more than 20 million copies in 1983 alone and has contended with the Eagles’ “Greatest Hits 1971-1975” among others as the best-selling album of all time.

“If an album doesn’t do well, everyone says ‘it was the producers fault’; so if it does well, it should be your ‘fault,’ too,” Jones said in an interview with the Library of Congress in 2016. “The tracks don’t just all of a sudden appear. The producer has to have the skill, experience and ability to guide the vision to completion.”

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 22: Rashida Jones and Quincy Jones attend Common’s 5th Annual Toast to the Arts at Ysabel on February 22, 2019 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arnold Turner/Getty Images for Freedom Road Productions)

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 02: Honoree Quincy Jones and music producer Jimmy Iovine attend Montblanc Honors Quincy Jones at the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award Ceremony held at Chateau Marmont on October 2, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images For Montblanc)

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 24: (L-R) Diana Ross, Quincy Jones, and Mary Wilson attend the 27th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party sponsored by IMDb and Neuro Drinks celebrating EJAF and the 91st Academy Awards on February 24, 2019 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for EJAF)

HOLLYWOOD, CA – NOVEMBER 27: Quincy Jones attends Quincy Jones’ Hand And Footprint ceremony at The TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on November 27, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 16: Quincy Jones attends Spotify’s Secret Genius Awards hosted by NE-YO at The Theatre at Ace Hotel on November 16, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Spotify)

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 06: Quincy Jones and Pharrell Williams attend the The Black Godfather AMPAS Screening, Q&A + Reception at San Vicente Bungalows on January 06, 2020 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 22: Cicely Tyson and Quincy Jones attend Common’s 5th Annual Toast to the Arts at Ysabel on February 22, 2019 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arnold Turner/Getty Images for Freedom Road Productions)

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – MARCH 22: Quincy Jones and Reba McEntire attend the Celebrity Fight Night’s Founders Club Dinner at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa on March 22, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night)

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 26: Producer Quincy Jones attends the Annie Leibovitz Book Launch presented by Vanity Fair, Leon Max and Benedikt Taschen during Vanity Fair Campaign Hollywood at Chateau Marmont on February 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

HOLLYWOOD, CA – NOVEMBER 15: Herbie Hancock (L) poses with Quincy Jones recipient Herbie Hancock Humanitarian Award during the Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition 2015 at Dolby Theatre on November 15, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz)

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 17: (L-R) Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones and Drew Nieporent attend the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival Juror Welcome Lunch on April 17, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival)

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 26: Quincy Jones and Eddie Murphy attend the Dolemite Is My Name! LA AMPAS Hosted Tastemaker at San Vicente Bungalows on October 26, 2019 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arnold Turner/Getty Images for Netflix)

HOLLYWOOD, CA – OCTOBER 07: Record Producer Quincy Jones (L) attends a ceremony honoring Music Executive Clarence Avant (R) with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on October 7, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 14: Host Clive Davis (L) and record producer Quincy Jones attend the 2016 Pre-GRAMMY Gala and Salute to Industry Icons honoring Irving Azoff at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 14, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for NARAS)

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 17: (L-R) Quincy Jones and Ron Howard attend the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival Juror Welcome Lunch on April 17, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival)

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 26: Producer Quincy Jones (L) and photographer Annie Leibovitz attend The Annie Leibovitz SUMO-Size Book Launch presented by Vanity Fair, Leon Max and Benedikt Taschen during Vanity Fair Campaign Hollywood at Chateau Marmont on February 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)

LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 17: Producer Quincy Jones and actor Chris Tucker attend the after party for the premiere of RADIUS-TWC’s “Keep On Keepin’ On” at Westside Tavern on September 17, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 09: Quincy Jones speaks onstage during the Pre-GRAMMY Gala and GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Clarence Avant at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 9, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

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WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 22: Rashida Jones and Quincy Jones attend Common’s 5th Annual Toast to the Arts at Ysabel on February 22, 2019 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arnold Turner/Getty Images for Freedom Road Productions)

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The list of his honors and awards fills 18 pages in his 2001 autobiography “Q”, including 27 Grammys at the time (now 28), an honorary Academy Award (now two) and an Emmy for “Roots.” He also received France’s Legion d’Honneur, the Rudolph Valentino Award from the Republic of Italy and a Kennedy Center tribute for his contributions to American culture. He was the subject of a 1990 documentary, “Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones” and a 2018 film by daughter Rashida Jones. His memoir made him a best-selling author.

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