Quincy Jones, one of the most influential music producers of all time, has passed away at the age of 91. Jones was widely celebrated for producing Michael Jackson’s iconic albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.
Throughout his long career, Jones collaborated with an array of music legends, from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson and Will Smith.
According to his spokesperson, Quincy Jones passed away on Sunday night at his home in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, surrounded by 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. “Although this is an unimaginable loss for our family, we celebrate the remarkable life he lived, knowing there will never be another like him.”
Jones, who became widely known for producing Michael Jackson’s albums, also worked with Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Donna Summer, and many others.
In addition to his music career, Jones founded a successful television and film production company, best known for creating The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Jones ranked third in Grammy nominations, with 80 to his name. Only Beyoncé and Jay-Z hold more nominations, with 88 each. Over his career, Jones won a total of 28 Grammy Awards.
Twice, his career nearly ended: in 1969, Jones narrowly escaped the Charles Manson cult murders when he forgot a scheduled visit to Sharon Tate’s home on the night of the attacks, and in 1974, he survived a cerebral aneurysm, which prevented him from ever playing the trumpet again.
Jones was married three times. His first wife was his high school sweetheart, Jeri Caldwell, with whom he had his first daughter, Jolie. In 1967, he married Ulla Anderson, with whom he had a son and a daughter. The two divorced in 1974, and Jones went on to marry actress Peggy Lipton, with whom he had two daughters, including actress Rashida Jones. He also fathered two other children—Rachel, with dancer Carol Reynolds, and Kenya, with actress Nastassja Kinski.
