Quincy Delight Jones Jr., 91, passed away last night surrounded by his children and siblings in his Bel Air, California, home.
The announcement of Jones’ death did not specify a cause but Jones had openly discussed various health challenges, including diabetes — which caused multiple brain aneurysms and caused him to fall into a coma — during his life.
“I was only able to work with him a couple of times occasionally,” said Jeanne Irby White, who graduated from Morgan State University in 1977. “When in his presence it felt like you were in the presence of something different when you were in his presence.”
White was also the former regional sales and marketing manager for Warner Brothers Records.
“I cried when I heard the news,’’ said Dr. Jorim Reid, the director of bands at Morgan State University. “He was someone I wanted to meet and I got to meet during my undergraduate years at a concert.’’
According to a USA Today article, Jones’ most significant achievement was his partnership with Michael Jackson on the infamous song “Thriller”, which has continued to be the best-selling album of all time. Additionally, Jones’s versatility for both “Off the Wall” and “Bad” enabled Jackson to switch up his music style from smooth disco to funk-rock.
“See, some guys write the same way for everybody ,” said U.S. Jazz Singer Billy Eckstine. “His (Jones) arrangements accompanied the singer.”
Jones also organized the all-star charity recording of “We Are the World”, produced the film “The Color Purple” (1985), and created the hit television series “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”.
When Jones was 28 years old, he set the record for the most Grammy Award nominations, totaling 80. In 2010, then President Barack Obama presented him with the National Medal of Arts — the highest honor the U.S. government can award to artists and supporters of the arts.
“His work was able to cross all genres,” said Dr. Reid. “All of the music for the past 60 years had his touch. Not many artists can say they did that and at a high level.’’
Jones had a total of 49 billboard awards and 81 nominations.
With nearly 30 Grammy wins — including a Grammy Legend Award — and both honorary and humanitarian Oscars, Jones is one of the most decorated composers and has won at least one Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award. This makes him one of the few EGOT holders in entertainment. He’s also one of two EGOT recipients to have won a Grammy for the Album of the Year category.
Yorel Hogan contributed to this article.
