Quincy Jones Dies

Jones was one of few producers to have number one records in three consecutive decades (1960s, 1970s, and 1980s).

Quincy Jones is one of the most influential figures in music and entertainment, celebrated for his innovative production work, his vast contributions across genres, and his collaborations with some of the industry’s biggest names. Born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois, Jones’s early life was marked by hardship and a drive to succeed.

Raised in a challenging environment, he and his family moved to Seattle when he was a teenager, where he discovered his passion for music. He attended Garfield High School in Seattle, where he honed his skills in trumpet and arrangement and found mentorship with renowned musicians in the area.

Although he briefly attended Seattle University and Berklee College of Music, he left school to pursue professional opportunities in music, which led to early performances with Lionel Hampton’s band. Jones’s musical career began with jazz but quickly expanded to encompass various genres,

including pop, soul, film scores, and television soundtracks. His career took off in the 1950s, working as an arranger and conductor, and he earned a significant role as a producer at Mercury Records. His big break came with his work on The Pawnbroker soundtrack in 1964, making him one of the first African Americans to compose for a major Hollywood film.

Production for the following artists (Partial List)
  • Patti Austin
  • George Benson
  • Aretha Franklin
  • Terry Gibbs
  • Dizzy Gillespie
  • Lesley Gore
  • Michael Jackson
  • Little Richard
  • Rufus feat. Chaka Khan
  • Frank Sinatra with Count Basie
  • Donna Summer
  • Sarah Vaughan

His career in film scoring established him as a pioneer in Hollywood, and his work in music production led to collaborations with major artists, establishing a unique style defined by lush orchestration and innovative sounds. One of the hallmarks of Jones’s career was his partnership with Frank Sinatra. In the 1960s, he worked with Sinatra on several albums, including Sinatra at the Sands,

which featured arrangements that blended jazz and orchestral elements. The collaboration not only solidified Jones’s reputation as a top-notch arranger and producer but also formed a lifelong friendship with Sinatra, who often referred to Jones as “Q.” The pair’s work together remains iconic, showcasing Sinatra’s timeless voice against Jones’s inventive orchestrations.

Quincy Jones Albums
  • 1955 Jazz Abroad – EmArcy
  • 1956 This Is How I Feel About Jazz – ABC-Paramount
  • 1957 Go West, Man! – ABC-Paramount
  • 1958 Quincy’s Home Again – Metronome
  • 1959 The Birth of a Band! – Mercury
  • 1959 The Great Wide World of Quincy Jones – Mercury
  • 1960 I Dig Dancers – Mercury
  • 1961 Around the World – Mercury
  • 1961 Newport ’61 – Mercury
  • 1961 The Great Wide World of Quincy Jones Live (in Zurich!) – Mercury
  • 1961 The Quintessence – impulse!
  • 1962 Big Band Bossa Nova – Mercury
  • 1963 Quincy Jones Plays Hip Hits – Mercury
  • 1964 Quincy Jones Explores the Music of Henry Mancini – Mercury
  • 1964 Golden Boy – Mercury
  • 1964 I/We Had a Ball – Limelight
  • 1965 Quincy Plays for Pussycats – Mercury
  • 1965 Quincy’s Got a Brand New Bag – Mercury
  • 1969 Walking in Space – A&M
  • 1970 Gula Matari – A&M
  • 1971 Smackwater Jack – A&M
  • 1972 Ndeda (Compilation) – Mercury
  • 1973 You’ve Got It Bad Girl – A&M
  • 1974 Body Heat – A&M
  • 1975 Mellow Madness – A&M
  • 1976 I Heard That!! – A&M
  • 1978 Sounds…and Stuff Like That!! – A&M
  • 1981 Quincy Jones Live at the Budokan – A&M
  • 1981 The Dude – A&M
  • 1982 The Best (compilation) – A&M
  • 1985 The Best of Quincy Jones Volume 2 (compilation) – A&M
  • 1987 Strike Up the Band (compilation) – Mercury
  • 1989 Back on the Block – Qwest
  • 1993 Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux (with Miles Davis) – Warner Bros.
  • 1995 Q’s Jook Joint – Qwest
  • 1999 From Q with Love (Compilation) – Warner Bros.
  • 2000 Basie and Beyond (The Quincy Jones/Sammy Nestico Orchestra) – Warner Bros.
  • 2001 Q – The Musical Biography of Quincy Jones (Compilation) Rhino
  • 2004 The Original Jam Sessions 1969 (with Bill Cosby) – Concord Jazz
  • 2010 Q Soul Bossa Nostra – Interscope

After producing the soundtrack for the 1978 film “The Wiz” — which featured Diana Ross and Michael Jackson — Jones was approached by Jackson, who wondered if he would produce his next album.

Jones’s work with Michael Jackson brought his influence to a global level. Starting with Off the Wall (1979), he produced Jackson’s next two albums, Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987), each of which became massive successes. Thriller, in particular, went on to become the best-selling album of all time, transforming Jackson into an international superstar and cementing Jones’s status as a visionary producer.

Soundtracks
  • 1961 The Boy in the Tree (EP) – Mercury
  • 1965 The Pawnbroker – Mercury
  • 1965 Mirage – Mercury
  • 1966 The Slender Thread – Mercury
  • 1966 Walk, Don’t Run – Mainstream
  • 1967 The Deadly Affair – Verve
  • 1967 Enter Laughing – Liberty
  • 1967 In the Heat of the Night – United Artists
  • 1967 In Cold Blood – Colgems
  • 1968 For Love of Ivy – ABC
  • 1969 Mackenna’s Gold – RCA Victor
  • 1969 The Italian Job – Paramount
  • 1969 The Lost Man – Uni
  • 1969 Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice – Bell
  • 1969 Cactus Flower – Bell
  • 1970 John and Mary – A&M
  • 1970 They Call Me Mister Tibbs! – United Artists
  • 1971 $ – Reprise
  • 1971 The Anderson Tapes – Reprise
  • 1972 The Getaway (7-inch) – A&M
  • 1972 The Hot Rock – Prophesy
  • 1977 Roots – A&M
  • 1978 The Wiz – MCA, Motown
  • 1985 The Color Purple – Qwest
  • 2009 The Split – Film Score Monthly

The collaboration between Jones and Micheal Jackson defined pop music of the era, blending R&B, pop, and rock elements in ways that had never been heard before. In addition to his music career, Jones has made numerous media appearances, from interviews to documentaries. He is the subject of the Netflix documentary Quincy (2018), which highlights his achievements and personal life. Over the years, Jones has also been an outspoken advocate for civil rights and social justice,

often using his platform to raise awareness on various issues, from racial inequality to environmental protection. Jones’s personal life is equally fascinating. Known for his openness and philosophical outlook, he has a wide range of interests, including a deep appreciation for fine art, history, and spirituality.

Singles
  • 1962 “Soul Bossa Nova”
  • 1970 “Killer Joe”
  • 1972 “Money Runner”
  • 1975 “Is It Love That We’re Missin’?” (with The Brothers Johnson)
  • 1977 Roots Medley
  • 1978 “Stuff Like That”
  • 1981 “Ai No Corrida” (with Dune)
  • 1981 “Just Once” (with James Ingram)
  • 1981 “Razzamatazz” (with Patti Austin)
  • 1981 “One Hundred Ways” (with James Ingram)
  • 1981 “Betcha Wouldn’t Hurt Me”
  • 1989 “I’ll Be Good to You” (with Ray Charles & Chaka Khan)
  • 1990 “The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)” (with Al B. Sure, James Ingram, El DeBarge, Barry White)
  • 1990 “Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)” (with Tevin Campbell)
  • 1990 “I Don’t Go for That”
  • 1991 “Wee B. Dooinit”
  • 1995 “You Put a Move on My Heart”
  • 1996 “Stomp”
  • 1996 “Slow Jams” (with Babyface, Tamia, Portrait, Barry White)
  • 1999 “Something I Cannot Have”
  • 2010 “Sanford & Son” (featuring T.I., B.o.B, Prince Charlez and Mohombi)
  • 2010 “It’s My Party” (featuring Amy Winehouse)

His health challenges have been well-documented, including a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1974, which led him to take a new perspective on life. Despite these health scares, Jones has maintained an active lifestyle and remained involved in various creative pursuits well into his later years. His family life has been dynamic, including three marriages and seven children. Despite his busy career, Jones has always expressed pride in his children and has often spoken about the importance of family.

Marriages

Jones married his high school sweetheart, Jeri Caldwell, in 1957 after they had already been together for some time. The two met while they were both students at Garfield High School in Seattle, Wash., in the 1940s. On Oct. 4, 1953, Jones and Caldwell welcomed their daughter, Jolie Jones Levine. By 1966, Jones and Caldwell filed for divorce. After welcoming a daughter, Rachel, with a dancer in July 1963 and splitting from Caldwell, Jones married his second wife, Ulla Andersson, who was signed to Ford Modelling Agency and starred in multiple Swedish movies at the time. Months before they wed, Andersson and Jones welcomed their first daughter together, Martina Jones, on Nov. 1, 1966. Two years later, Andersson gave birth to Jones’ only son, Quincy Delight Jones III, on Dec. 23, 1968. The couple were together for nearly a decade before their split in 1974, at which time Andersson moved back to Sweden along with her children. Jones first met The Mod Squad actress, Peggy Lipton, while he was married to Andersson, but the two didn’t start dating until two years later. Together, the couple welcomed two daughters: Kidada Ann Jones on March 22, 1974, and Rashida Jones on Feb. 25, 1976. By 1989, the couple called it quits, with Lipton citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for their divorce in the filing.

He has received numerous accolades, including 28 Grammy Awards out of a record 80 nominations, an Emmy, an Academy Honorary Award, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His contributions to the music industry and beyond are immeasurable, and his influence continues to resonate today.

Although his output slowed in later years, Jones, a lifelong activist and supporter of Martin Luther King Jr., continued to contribute to charitable causes and worked on the soundtrack to the 2024 film Lola. Quincy Jones died on Sunday, November 3, 2024, at his home in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, at the age of 91. He is survived by seven children, including actor Rashida Jones, and Kidada Jones.

Further Reading
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Author: Doyle

I was born in Atlanta, moved to Alpharetta at 4, lived there for 53 years and moved to Decatur in 2016. I've worked at such places as Richway, North Fulton Medical Center, Management Science America (Computer Tech/Project Manager) and Stacy's Compounding Pharmacy (Pharmacy Tech).

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