Legendary songwriter, producer, and jazz trumpeter Quincy Jones died in his Bel Air home on Nov. 3, at the age of 91.
Born in Chicago to a carpenter father and musically gifted mother, Jones’ early life was complex. He was uprooted at a young age when his mother developed schizophrenia in the late 1930s to live with his father and maternal grandmother, and eventually, stepmother who did not provide adequate care for him and his brother.
In his early 20s, Jones began his career as a trumpeter, and gained attention when he transitioned into songwriting and composing.
Working with renowned artists such as Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Lesley Gore and Aretha Franklin, Jones established himself as a prolific recording producer.
What made Jones’ career, however, was his involvement in the career of Michael Jackson
He first worked with Jackson on the set of “The Wiz,” a theatrical adaptation of the Broadway musical starring Jackson alongside Diana Ross and Richard Pryor. As a music supervisor, Jones would go on to produce multiple of Jackson’s albums.
Jackson’s album “Off the Wall” came a year after the release of “The Wiz” in 1979. Jones produced the album, which was nominated for two Grammy’s in the R&B genre.
He would go on to produce two more albums with Jackson, “Thriller” and “Bad.” “Thriller” remains the highest selling album of all time.
With Jackson and other musical superstar, Lionel Richie, Jones would produce the charity-fueled single “We Are the World,” which united a group of celebrities to raise money for famine in Africa.
In his illustrious career, Jones has won the third most Grammy Awards of any single artist at 28, behind only Georg Solti and Beyonce.
The charisma and musical talent that Jones possessed granted him the ability to collaborate with, and build the careers of some of the most recognizable faces in the music industry.
In the process, Jones was able to assist in the revolutionization of the pop genre. His legacy will forever be intertwined with great recording artists and the music that shaped his, and future generations.