The man responsible for some of the 20th century’s most iconic pop music sounds has died aged 91.
Quincy Jones, the producer who worked on Michael Jackson’s seminal album Thriller, died on Sunday night at his Los Angeles home surrounded by family.
Jones “passed away peacefully” Sunday night at his home in Bel Air while surrounded by his family, his publicist Arnold Robinson said. “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,” his family said in a statement.
In a prolific career that spanned more than 70 years, Jones established himself as a behind-the-scenes force and a gifted artist in his own right, working as an arranger, composer, songwriter and performer.
KHe left indelible imprints on jazz, pop, hip-hop and dozens of film and television soundtracks, working closely with some of the most illustrious names in the American songbook, from Count Basie and Dinah Washington to Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Paul Simon.
He produced Michael Jackson’s smash record “Thriller,” as well as Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of “The Color Purple” and the NBC sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” — projects that helped bolster his legacy as a hit-maker and media mogul.
