By Music legend Quincy Jones – composer, producer, artist and more – has died at the age of 91. His publicist says he passed away on Sunday night at his home in Bel Air surrounded by his family.
Jones received AMPAS’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1995 and an honorary Oscar in 2024 along with a Grammy Legend Award in 1991. He’s won 28 Grammys in total.
His career spans over six decades, producing and working on some of the biggest songs of all time from “Thriller” to “We Are the World,” “It’s My Party,” Sinatra’s take on “Fly Me to the Moon,” and many more.
In regards to cinema, his first film score was Sidney Lumet’s “The Pawnbroker” and Sydney Pollack’s “The Slender Thread” which were quickly followed by iconic films like “In the Heat of the Night,” “In Cold Blood,” “The Italian Job,” “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,” “They Call Me Mister Tibbs!,” “The Getaway” and “The Wiz”.
His 1962 song “Soul Bossa Nova” ended up being used as the theme for the “Austin Powers” movies along with Woody Allen’s early film “Take the Money and Run”. In 1971 he became the first African-American to be named as the musical director and conductor of the Oscars.
In 1985 he produced and scored Spielberg’s film adaptation of “The Color Purple” and was instrumental in the hiring of Oprah Winfrey for the role of Sofia.
On television he also composed the theme songs for “The Bill Cosby Show,” “Ironside,” “Sanford and Son,” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” with Jones also producing the latter series. HE also produced “In the House” and “Mad TV” among other shows.
Jones is survived by seven children, including actress Rashida Jones.
Source: THR
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