American record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer Quincy Delight Jones Jr. has passed away at the age of 91.
Arnold Robinson, his publicist, confirmed that he died on Sunday evening at his residence in the Bel Air area of Los Angeles, with his family by his side.
“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 collaborated with numerous prominent figures in the entertainment sector, including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and Will Smith.
One of his most significant achievements was producing Jackson's groundbreaking 'Thriller' album, which sold over 20 million copies in 1983 alone, making it one of the best-selling albums in history.
Additionally, he played a key role in the all-star recording of the 1985 charity single 'We Are The World.'
Born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago's South Side, Jones gained recognition in the 1950s as a jazz arranger and conductor before transitioning to pop music and film scores.
He adeptly navigated various musical genres, producing pop hits for Lesley Gore in the early 1960s, including the iconic “It’s My Party,” while also arranging and conducting for collaborations between jazz legends Frank Sinatra and Count Basie.
In 1968, Jones made history as the first African American nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “The Eyes of Love” from the film Banning.
He also received a nomination for Best Original Score for his work on the 1967 film In Cold Blood, marking him as the first African American to achieve two nominations in the same year.
In 1971, Jones became the first African American to serve as the musical director and conductor of the Academy Awards.
In 1995, he was honored as the first African American recipient of the Academy's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
He shares the distinction of being the second most Oscar-nominated African American, with seven nominations, alongside sound designer Willie D. Burton.
In 2013, Jones was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame under the Ahmet Ertegun Award category and was recognized as one of the most influential jazz musicians of his time.