Quincy Jones Dies: Legendary Music Producer Was 91

Quincy Jones, one of the greatest music producers of all time, has died at the age of 91.

Jones, who is the father of Parks & Recreation star Rashida Jones, died on Sunday, November 3 at his Los Angeles home, surrounded by family. 

“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” his family said in a statement to Associated Press. “And although this is a terrible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived, and know there will never be another like him.”

In his final instagram post,  Jones shared a loving message to his daughter Martina, who celebrated her 58th birthday on November 1.

 

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A post shared by Quincy Jones (@quincyjones)

Best known for his work with Michael Jackson, Jones held the record for the second-most Grammy wins of any musical artist for years at 28, coming in second behind conductor Georg Solti’s 31, until Beyoncé surpassed them with her 32nd win in 2023.

Jones’ over five decades of music making resulted in timeless classics with artists including Jackson, Frank Sinatra, and Miles Davis. One of his greatest successes of all time is producing Jackson’s Off the Wall and Thriller albums, but Jones was also a music prodigy in his own right. Jones first became known for his expert trumpet playing as a teen and an arranger of jazz music in the 1950s. His career only skyrocketed from there.

Actor and rapper LL Cool J was among the first to pay tribute to Jones. “You were a father and example at a time when I truly needed a father and example. Mentor. Role model. King,” he wrote. “You gave me opportunities and shared wisdom. Music would not be music without you. My condolences to the entire family. I love you. Rest in the sweetest music eternally.”

Film star Michael Caine , who was born just minutes apart from Jones on March 14, 1933, described Jones as his “celestial twin” in a touching tribute on X (formerly Twitter).

My Celestial twin Quincy was a titan in the musical world. He was a wonderful and unique human being, lucky to have known him.

— Michael Caine (@themichaelcaine) November 4, 2024

After making a name for himself in jazz, Jones became a record company executive in the 1960s and worked extensively in TV, scoring music in the 1960s and 1970s. He composed the themes to Ironside, Sanford and Son, and Roots, among others. His collaboration with Frank Sinatra continued through the 1950s and beyond. His arrangements were featured on 1964’s It Might as Well Be Swing with Count Basie and the legendary 1966 closed-circuit concert with Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, and Johnny Carson.

While working with artists like those mentioned above as well as Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee, Jones’ solo career boomed with a slew of Grammy Awards and millions of dollars in record sales. He was involved in Civil Rights era advocacy and was a major supporter of Martin Luther King. Jr.‘s Operation Breadbasket.

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A near fatal brain aneurysm made Jones reevaluate how he worked and made him cut back on his schedule to spend more time with his family, which included wife Peggy Lipton, whom he married in 1974. That marriage brought them daughter Rashida Jones, star of Parks & Rec and other TV classics. He’s father to seven children total: Rashida, Kidada Jones, Quincy Delight Jones III, Jolie Jones Levine, Martina Jones, Rachel Jones, and Kenya Kinski-Jones. He was married three times and shares his seven children with five different women. Jones’ first wife was Jeri Caldwell (1957-1966), his second was Swedish model Ulla Jones (née Andersson, 1967-1974), and his third was Lipton (1974-1990). He was also godfather to actor musician Quincy Brown.

His life story featured in the 2018 Netflix documentary Quincy.

A musician, composer, music and TV producer, Jones will always be one of music’s most famous names.