By: Eddy “Precise” Lamarre

Legendary producer Quincy Jones has died at age 91. Jones was a titan in the music industry with a career spanning more than seven decades. His collaborations read like a who’s who of American music.

The South Side of Chicago native, born March 14, 1933 made an impact across multiple musical genres. The 28-time Grammy Award winner remained a mainstay in the entertainment industry.

He began as a jazz musician, touring with Lionel Hampton in 1953 at age 20. After working as a studio musician for Elvis Presley, he toured with Dizzy Gillespie in the Middle East. In 1957, he moved to France and became a music director. He later toured North America and Europe with his 18-person band, the Jones Boys.

In 1961, Jones became the first Black vice president at Mercury Records. Throughout his storied career, Jones worked on nearly 40 major motion picture scores. He produced the iconic “Sanford and Son” theme, and his song “Soul Bossa Nova” became the theme for the blockbuster film “Austin Powers.”

Jones collaborated with Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan. He produced the soundtrack for “The Wiz” in 1978 and Michael Jackson’s record-breaking album “Thriller.” His film “The Color Purple” received 11 Academy Award nominations and introduced Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey to global audiences.

In 1985, he united music’s biggest stars to perform “We Are the World” to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. He leveraged industry relationships to bring artists including Ray Charles, Willie Nelson and Diana Ross together to record the charitable song.

In the 1990s, Quincy Jones Entertainment brought “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” to television, launching Will Smith’s career as one of Hollywood’s most successful stars.

Jones recently partnered with Chance the Rapper and Jennifer Hudson to reopen the Ramova Theatre on Chicago’s South Side.

His extraordinary career achievements are too numerous to list completely. His impact on music and entertainment will resonate for generations.

His family shared a statement below.

“Tonight, with full, but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother, Quincy Jones’ passing,” the statement read. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life 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 joy 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.”

Jones is survived by seven children. Funeral arrangements are pending.