LOS ANGELES — Quincy Jones, whose sweeping influence in music spanned jazz, pop, film, and television, has died at 91. Known for his genre-defining collaborations with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, and countless others, Jones was a singular force in American entertainment. His publicist, Arnold Robinson, confirmed that Jones passed peacefully on Sunday night at his Bel Air home.
The producer, arranger, and composer reshaped the American musical landscape over a career that lasted more than seven decades. A pioneer not only in jazz but also in mainstream pop, Jones produced Michael Jackson’s Thriller—still the best-selling album of all time—and led the historic recording of “We Are the World” in 1985. Gathering nearly 50 leading artists, from Bruce Springsteen to Cyndi Lauper, Jones produced the charity single to support relief efforts during Ethiopia’s famine.
Jones’s extraordinary career, recognized with 28 Grammy Awards, also included landmark achievements in cinema and television. He composed scores for In the Heat of the Night, The Color Purple, and The Italian Job, and helped launch The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which became a cultural touchstone. His collaborations with Sinatra, like the innovative swing rendition of “Fly Me to the Moon,” revealed his versatility and prowess in transforming popular music.
Reflecting on Jones’s legacy, playwright Jeremy O’Harris called him an “unlimited cultural contributor,” noting his groundbreaking status as the first Black artist nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Score. Jones’s impact on American music and culture is celebrated not only in his discography but in the influence he held over the industry as a producer and entrepreneur.
Jones is survived by his seven children, including producer Quincy Jones III and actress Rashida Jones. The family, in a statement, expressed both their sadness and pride, celebrating the life of a man whose work and influence are unlikely to be matched.
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