Quincy Jones, the famed record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer, passed away on November 3, 2024.
He was 91 years old.
After the Jones family confirmed the sad news, tributes immediately began pouring in for Quincy.
Paul McCartney penned a lengthy tribute on Instagram.
“He was supremely talented, and I felt privileged to have known him for many years,” the former Beatles member wrote.
“Quincy or ‘Quince’ or ‘Q’, as he was known, always had a twinkle in his eye and had a very positive, loving spirit which infected everyone who knew him,” Paul continued.
“His long career stretches back to the early days when he was a trumpet player, then a band leader, then a producer of many great records. But it is as a friend I would like to remember him. We always had fun in his presence and his legend will continue through the years, but it is those private moments we were lucky enough to have with the great man that I will always remember fondly.”
Oprah Winfrey followed Paul’s lead and also paid her respects on Instagram.
“My life changed forever for the better after meeting him. I had never experienced, nor have since, anyone who’s heart was so filled with love,” she wrote.
Similarly, Barbra Streisand also took to Instagram and posted:
“Q and I first met in 1963 and I’ve adored him ever since.
“He gave so much to the world. I will miss you so much my dear friend.”
Elton John shared, “Nobody had a career as incredible as Quincy Jones. He played with the best and he produced the best. What a guy. Loved him.”
Michael Caine — who was actually born on the same day as Quincy, March 14, 1933 — took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to farewell the music producer.
“My Celestial twin Quincy was a titan in the musical world. He was a wonderful and unique human being, lucky to have known him.”
Morgan Freeman also paid his respects via X, writing, “Today, we say goodbye to the legendary Quincy Jones—a musical giant whose genius reshaped our world and left an enduring legacy. Rest well, Quincy.”
What is Quincy Jones most famous for?
It’s hard to nail down the one thing that made Quincy Jones famous. His career was illustrious, to say the least.
He began his career in the early 1950s in Seattle, where he learned to play the trumpet and developed an interest in jazz.
This led Quincy to the prestigious Berklee College of Music, though he left before graduating to tour as a trumpeter with Lionel Hampton.
After touring as a musician, Quincy transitioned into composing, arranging and producing in the 1960s and went on to work with several jazz icons like Count Basie and Frank Sinatra.
He also composed scores for the popular 1960s films Mirage, The Slender Thread and In Cold Blood.
In the 1980s, Quincy produced Michael Jackson’s esteemed albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, and ultimately cemented his place in pop music history.
Furthermore, Quincy dabbled in film and television producing and produced The Colour Purple and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Quincy continued to work as a record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer right up until his death.
His most recent project was Lola James — Quincy composed the score for the 2024 film.
During his career, Quincy won an astonishing 28 Grammy Awards, 1 Emmy Award and 1 Tony Award. Not to mention, he was nominated for seven Academy Awards.
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