Celebrating Quincy Jones’ legacy and iconic career
Image: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival
The world is mourning the loss of a musical giant with the passing of Quincy Jones this week. Although the word "legend" is used quite liberally these days, few other terms can accurately capture the depth of Jones’ work and the expansive legacy he leaves behind. At 91, his accolades included two Oscars, an Emmy and an impressive 28 Grammy Awards. Named the most influential jazz musician of the 20th century by Time Magazine, some of his other countless awards included Italy's Rudolph Valentino Award and France’s Legion d'Honneur.
With a career spanning seven decades, Quincy Jones has left an indelible mark on music, film, and pop culture. While it’s impossible to capture every achievement from his extraordinary life, we’ve rounded up some of the standout moments that showcase his talent, innovation, and influence.
Video: USA for Africa (Youtube)
In 1985, USA for Africa brought together an unprecedented group of A-list singers to perform the globally recognizable charity song We are the World. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie, the song was produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian. The song had instant global success and to date has sold over 20 million physical copies, making it the eighth-best-selling single of all time.
Video: soundsgoodtomeYT (Youtube)
In 1992, Quincy Jones executive produced the album Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration. Masterfully melding multiple genres including jazz, blues, jazz, big band, R&B, and hip hop, the album won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.
Video: Entertainment Tonight (Youtube)
Perhaps Jones’ most prolific project was producing Michael Jackson’s mammoth album Thriller. For his sixth solo release, Jackson famously asserted that he wanted to create an album where "every song was a killer". Jones, who had known Jackson since he was 12 years old, said of the project “Musically, we knew we had 'it' with Thriller." To date, Thriller is still the best-selling album of all time, with an estimated 70 million copies sold worldwide.
Video: Santiago Hunson (Youtube)
A man of many talents, Jones also had a hand in television history as a producer for one of the most successful sitcoms of the 90s, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Jones was even featured as a guest actor in an episode of the iconic show. In his tribute to Jones following his passing, the show’s star Will Smith said, “Quincy Jones is the true definition of a Mentor, a Father and a Friend. He pointed me toward the greatest parts of myself. He defended me. He nurtured me. He encouraged me. He inspired me. He checked me when he needed to. He let me use his wings until mine were strong enough to fly.”
In 2018, Quincy Jones had one of his most memorable interviews with Vulture’s David Marchese. During the interview he spoke candidly (and hilariously) about a range of topics including the Beatles, his longtime partnership with Michael Jackson, his relationship with the Trumps, and the problem with some of the most popular genres in modern music.
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