Celebrity

Music legend Quincy Jones, producer behind Michael Jackson’s Thriller, dies age 91

Nicole Keramos
Nov 05, 2024
Tributes quickly poured in from celebrities and colleagues alike who shared their admiration for a "musical giant whose genius reshaped our world and left an enduring legacy". Source: AP PHOTO.

Entertainment legend Quincy Jones, the producer and arranger who worked with the likes of Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and countless other high-profile artists has sadly passed away at the age of 91.

Jones’ publicist Arnold Robinson announced that he died on Sunday, November 3 at his Bel Air home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family. A cause of death was not disclosed.

Jones’ family issued a statement following his passing “with full but broken hearts” while reflecting on “the great life that he lived”.

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

“He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created. Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity.”

In a career that spanned seven decades, Jones’ claim to fame was producing the Michael Jackson albums Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad in the 1980s, which helped make the singer the biggest pop star of all time.

Jones also worked with jazz greats such as Miles Davis, produced Sinatra, and put together the superstar ensemble that recorded the 1985 fund-raiser We Are the World, the biggest hit song of its time.

Jones also contributed his talents to film scores such as The Color Purple and the 1990s television show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

For his outstanding achievements in the music industry, Jones was recognised with a Grammy Legend award in 1992 for his “ongoing contributions and influence in the recording field.”

As news of his passing broke, tributes quickly poured in from celebrities and colleagues alike who shared their admiration for a “musical giant whose genius reshaped our world and left an enduring legacy”.

Jones is survived by his seven children.

with Reuters, AAP and PA.

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