Legendary Composer and Producer Quincy Jones Dead at 91

The word legend gets abused in this business, and I sadly have to admit, I am not above that.

I say this because I am about to use that word again, but this is a case where there simply is no other word to describe the individual.

I am speaking of Quincy Jones, who, sadly, passed away recently at the age of 91.

One-of-a-Kind

Jones dies at his California home surrounded by family.

His death was confirmed by the family, which stated, "Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. 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.

“He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created. Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity."

Jones made history in 1961 when he became the first black executive for a major label when he took over as vice president of Mercury Records.

From there, it was an uncontrollable train of success in the music and entertainment world for decades.

In his early days in the industry, Jones gained much acclaim for his movie scores, which included “In Cold Blood,” “In the Heat of the Night,” and “The Italian Job.”

He also wrote the themes for numerous TV hit shows, such as “Sanford and Son,” “The Bill Cosby Show,” and “Mad TV.”

Jones also did gigs as an arranger for some of the top acts in the game, including Frank Sinatra.

By the 1980s, Jones was entrenched in the pop music world, working with artists such as Michael Jackson and Diana Ross.

One of his biggest accomplishments at the time was getting the biggest acts in the business to record “We Are the World” to help Ethiopians in their struggles against famine.

I could go on all day about this man’s achievements in the industry, but I think everyone is quite familiar with them, so I will just say, rest in peace, Quincy, and thank you for all you did.