Tributes are rolling in for late music legend Quincy Jones, who died on Sunday night at the age of 91.
Over the course of his 70-year career, Jones was an artist, bandleader, composer, arranger and producer. He won 28 Grammys and most notably shaped the career of Michael Jackson, beginning with his breakthrough 1979 album “Off the Wall.”
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” the Jones family said in a statement announcing his death. “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. 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.”
This sentiment was echoed in remembrances shared throughout the music industry and Hollywood. Michael Caine, who starred in 1969’s “The Italian Job,” which Jones scored, called him his “celestial twin.” The two were both born on March 14, 1933.
“My Celestial twin Quincy was a titan in the musical world,” Caine wrote on X. “He was a wonderful and unique human being, lucky to have known him.”
Meanwhile, actor Colman Domingo recalled the first time he met Jones. Domingo starred in 2023’s “The Color Purple” remake, which Jones produced alongside Steven Spielberg, who directed the 1985 film that Jones scored.
“He asked, where are you from? Philly I replied, his eyes twinkled and he talked about the Uptown Theater,” Domingo wrote on X. “I was so thrilled to meet Mr. American Music himself. I literally kneeled because he was a King. Thank you Mr. Quincy Jones for giving us all the sound.”
In a post on Instagram, LL Cool J said Jones was “a father and example at a time when I truly needed a father and example. Mentor. Role model. King.”
He added, “You gave me opportunities and shared wisdom. Music would not be music without you. My condolences to the entire family. I love you. Rest in the sweetest music eternally.”
Playwright Jeremy O Harris wrote on X, “What couldn’t he do? Quincy Jones, literally born when the limits on how big a black boy could dream were unfathomably high, taught us that the limit does not exist. His contributions to American culture were limitless. First black person nominated for an Oscar for best score. First black person nominated later twice in the same year. The producer of inarguably the biggest albums of the 20th century. An EGOT. Father to some of pretty incredibly talented children as well and godfather to musicians around the world. RIP QUINCY.”
DJ and producer David Guetta shared a photo of him and Jones on X and said “it’s hard to find the words to express the impact @QuincyDJones has had on me, as well as on music and culture as a whole.”
He added, “Quincy wasn’t just a legend, he was an inspiration, a trailblazer, and a true genius. He produced my favorite album of all time, ‘Thriller’ by @michaeljackson, an album that set the standard for what music could be, blending genres and pushing boundaries. I had the honor of meeting Quincy, notably at the Grammys @RecordingAcad, where we even had the chance to speak in French, a language he mastered so beautifully. Those moments will stay with me forever. Thank you, Quincy, for all you’ve given us. Your legacy will continue to inspire generations of artists to come.”
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