Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones was an American record producer, composer, conductor, and arranger whose work spanned music, film, and television over the course of a career that stretched across decades.
Born on March 14, 1933, in South Side, Jones attended Garfield High School before going on to build one of the most varied careers in American entertainment. He worked simultaneously as a trumpeter, pianist, bandleader, and singer, bringing an unusually broad set of performance skills to his later work behind the scenes as a producer and executive.
As a record producer and record executive, Jones was active across multiple formats, producing music as well as working in film and television production. He received the Grammy Award for Record of the Year, along with the NEA Jazz Masters award, which recognized his contributions to jazz specifically. The MusiCares Person of the Year award and the National Humanities Medal further marked the breadth of his recognized achievements, while the Spingarn Medal — awarded by the NAACP — acknowledged his standing as a public figure beyond the music industry alone. He also received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which is presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for distinguished humanitarian efforts.
Jones died on November 3, 2024, in Bel Air, at the age of ninety-one. Throughout his life he moved fluidly between the roles of composer, arranger, conductor, and producer, working in English across a range of creative and commercial contexts. The sheer number of disciplines he practiced — from playing trumpet and piano to producing for film and television — points to the recurring theme that runs through his body of work: a consistent engagement with American music and entertainment in its many forms.
Quotes by Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones's insights on:
I tell my kids and I tell proteges, always have humility when you create and grace when you succeed, because it's not about you. You are a terminal for a higher power. As soon as you accept that, you can do it forever.
It’s easy to get next to music theory, especially between your peers and music classes and so forth. You just pay attention. I had a good ear, so I realized that printed music was just about reminding you what to play.
China’s got a billion people and a hit record over there is a million records. You know that ain’t right.
I’m never in my life going to do a record that’s a tribute to myself. I don’t need it.