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    Legendary Musician, Composer and Producer Quincy Jones Dies at 91

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    Legendary producer Quincy Jones died Sunday, Nov. 3, at his home in California, surrounded by his family.

    He was 91 years old. A cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

    “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.”

    With a reputation for working with musical talents including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Washington, and Ella Fitzgerald, it is no wonder why Quincy Jones is considered a pioneer in the music industry. Jones entered the music business with no real knowledge of the industry and, unlike many others, was able to establish a career.

    Jones was born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois, but his family relocated to Washington, where he studied the trumpet. He continued his musical studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, until leaving to tour with Lionel Hampton and his band.

    After touring, he moved to New York, and his reputation as an arranger grew once he arranged a record for Dinah Washington. The record turned out to be a big success, which prompted the growth of his career. By the mid-1950s, he was arranging and recording for a variety of artists. Jones decided to continue his musical education by studying with Nadia Boulanger, a renowned French composer.

    He returned to the United States in 1961 and became an A&R director for Mercury Records. Jones earned the position of vice president in 1964 and was one of the first African Americans to be a top executive at a record label. His talents also allowed him to produce Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1982) and the star-studded charity recording of “We Are the World” (1985). Jones even began composing music for films.

    The success Jones found in music also crossed over to the big screen. In 1985, he co-produced Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. Five years later, he established Quincy Jones Entertainment (QJE) and served as CEO and chairman. The company is responsible for the production of the hit television show, The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. During this time, Jones also founded Vibe Magazine (which was later sold in 2006).

    Jones was nominated for over 75 Grammy Awards and won over 25. In 2001, he added the author and Kennedy Center Honors Award winner to his list of accomplishments. He also received the National Medal of Arts in 2010 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

    Without Jones’s contributions, the music industry would be missing many classic songs. The mogul was introduced to a new audience in 2018 when his story was told in the documentary Quincy. His daughter, actress Rashida Jones, directed the film, which debuted on Netflix.

    Shayla Farrow is a multimedia journalist with a Media, Journalism and Film Communications degree from Howard University and a master’s degree in management from Wake Forest University. Shayla discovered her passion for journalism while working as a reporter with Spotlight Network at Howard University. She worked with other campus media, including NewsVision, WHBC 96.3 HD3, WHUR-FM, 101 Magazine, and the HU News Service. Her reporting abilities earned her opportunities to interview industry professionals including Cathy Hughes, movie director Malcolm D. Lee and creator of “David Makes Man,” Tarell Alvin McCraney. Shayla intends to leave her mark in journalism by broadcasting radio and television shows that cover a wide array of topics ranging from politics and social justice issues to entertainment and pop culture. She has worked on a variety of shows, including the Wendy Williams Show, The Joe Madison Show, and The Karen Hunter Show as well as worked as a producer for the NBC News Channel. However, her ultimate career goal is to own a television and audio entertainment platform that provides quality content to viewing and listening audiences.

    Celebrating US from one end of the land to the other. We record our acts, our accomplishments, our sufferings, and our temporary defeats throughout the diaspora. We bring content that is both unique and focused on showing the world our best. Unapologetically.

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