By james art 
Quincy Jones, whose decorated music career spanned from the early 1950s through Michael Jackson’s most famous works and beyond, died Sunday. He was 91.
His death was confirmed by his publicist in a statement to NPR, which did not mention the cause of death. The statement said Jones died peacefully at his home in Bel Air, California, surrounded by his family.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of the passing of our father and brother, Quincy Jones,” the family said in a statement provided by Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson. “And while this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
In the 1980s, Jones helped oversee some of the biggest and most beloved moments in music: He produced or co-produced three of Michael Jackson’s best-selling albums, including the record-setting 1982 Thrillerand was heavily involved in the creation of the US for Africa’s 1985 charity single ‘We Are the World’. But his career spanned decades in every direction. Jones long held the record for most Grammy nominations with 80 before Jay-Z and Beyoncé surpassed the total earlier this decade, and his 28 wins rank him third behind Beyoncé (32) and conductor Georg Solti (31) ).
Born Quincy Delight Jones in 1933, Jones got his start in jazz – playing trumpet in Lionel Hampton’s band at 19 – and was soon playing on stages with some of the world’s biggest stars: Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley.
In the 1960s, Jones became an award-winning film composer—he received three of his seven Academy Award nominations in 1968 and 1969—as well as a high-profile executive, arranger, and producer in the music industry. On albums like The Great Wide World of Quincy Jones and Quincy Jones plays hip hitshe was a headliner, but he also worked behind the scenes, producing (among many others) a series of bestsellers for Leslie Gore.
Throughout the 1970s, Jones remained in the spotlight as a performer and executive, expanding his reach with high-profile projects such as the soundtrack to The magician. But in the 1980s his name was associated with a remarkable string of successes, from We Are the World and Thriller to his first experience in film production: 1985 The color purplewhich made Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg movie stars. Full of Jones stars Back in the blockreleased in 1989, won a Grammy for Album of the Year in 1991.
Jones’ success goes beyond music and film. Shortly after starting Quincy Jones Entertainment in 1990, he oversaw long-running television hits such as The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and MADtv. His 2001 book Question: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones details his many encounters with music’s biggest moments and stars, as well as his struggles with mental health and his difficult upbringing in Chicago. Jones’ philanthropic activities extended far beyond the US to Africa and benefited causes such as music preservation, arts education and aid for disadvantaged youth.
Jones’ turbulent personal life includes three marriages and seven children, including actresses Kidada and Rashida Jones – his daughters with actress Peggy Lipton – and Kenya Kinski-Jones, a fashion model whose mother is German actress and model Nastasya Kinski.
NPR’s Ayana Archie contributed reporting.
Copyright 2024 NPR