Iconic composer, musician, and producer Quincy Jones has died at 91 years of age. According to a statement from his publicist, Arnold Robinson, Jones died peacefully in his Bel Air home on Sunday (11/3). “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” said the family in a statement. "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.”

Jones began his career as a Jazz trumpeter and arranger in the 1950's, and by the 60's he was arranging film scores. He became the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award in 1968 for "Eyes Of Love", from the film Banning. Jones is perhaps best known for producing Michael Jackson's trio of gargantuan solo albums, Off The Wall, Thriller (the biggest selling album in music history), and Bad.

Jones' 1981 compilation album, The Dude featured collaborations with Patti Austin, Heatwave's Rod Temperton, and frequent collaborator James Ingram. The Dude was nominated for 12 Grammy's (including Album Of The Year), and won three. The album also featured what would be the first of many of Jones' experimentations with rap music, which was a relatively new recorded genre at the time.

,

Jones also composed the theme music for television's iconic Sanford & Son, and he produced artists as diverse as George Benson, Frank Sinatra, Grandmaster Melle Mel, and The Brothers Johnson. His television production credits include The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, and he produced, composed, and arranged the legendary single, We Are The World which brought the most iconic 1980's artists together under the name USA For Africa, raising over $220 million for world hunger. Jones' life was the subject of several books, movies and documentaries.

R.I.P. Q