Famed music producer Quincy Jones has died, aged 91

American entertainment giant Quincy Jones has died, aged 91. Jones passed away while trying to recover from two consecutive brain aneurysms.

In a career that spanned seven decades, Jones worked as a record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and even film and television producer. He had been nominated for over 80 Grammy Awards, and won 28 of these including the Grammy Legend Award in 1992. Jones was also the first African American to be the musical director and conductor of the Academy Awards (in 1971).

Jones produced songs for a cavalcade of stars including Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Nana Mouskouri, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Ray Charles, Lesley Gore, Peggy Lee, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, Celine Dion, Dinah Washington, and so many more.

Jones was so enthusiastic that he continued producing music right up until his last years, appearing on the 2022 album ‘Dawn FM’ by The Weeknd, on a track titled ‘A Tale by Quincy’.

Following the success of The Weeknd’s album, Quincy wrote on Facebook: “Congrats on being #1 in 80 countries my brother.”

In 1985, Jones conducted and produced the charity single We Are The World, which raised funds for victims of famine in Ethiopia. That same year, he debuted as a film producer with The Colour People going on to draw 11 Oscar nominations.

Quincy Jones was also very much an activist, beginning in the 1960s with his support of Dr. Martin Luther King. He went on to support such causes as assisting impoverished communities and fighting the stigma of HIV/AIDS .

Jones was one of the founders of the Institute for Black American Music, whose events aimed to raise funds for the creation of a national library of African-American art and music. He was also a founder of the Black Arts Festival in his hometown of Chicago, and through the 1970s, offered education via workshops.

But Jones didn’t live his life without a bit of partying. While it may come as a surprise to some, Quincy once dated Ivanka Trump. He was 72 at the time; she was 25.

Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, said he died on Sunday night at his home in Bel Air, Los Angeles, surrounded by his family.

Antonino Tati

THE POP SHOP