During such a hectic month for America, full of many losses, lies the death of Quincy Jones, an African American musician, producer, and composer who changed music forever. Quincy Jones died at age 91 on November 3rd, 2024, and will forever be remembered as one of the most memorable artists in history. 

Throughout his life, Jones worked in a vast variety of genres, including jazz, rock, blues, pop, and later hip hop. Furthermore, he worked behind the scenes on many revolutionary albums by the most famous musicians ever. To begin, he composed Frank Sinatra’s album It Might As Well Be Swing in 1964. Additionally, he worked with Aretha Franklin on her album Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) in 1973, which inspired him to create his record label. In 1978, Jones produced the soundtrack for The Wiz, a musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Continuing his work with Michael Jackson, he assisted him in releasing his first solo album Off the Wall in 1979 and later Thriller in 1982, an album which remains the best-selling record of all time. In 1985, he used his reputation as a musician to gather world renowned artists to gather together to record We Are The World, an anthem urging to raise money for struggles with famine in Ethiopia. 

On the other hand, he also played a significant role in producing many successful film franchises. For starters, the creation of the movie The Color Purple, directed by Steven Spielberg, and later the 90’s television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, starring Will Smith.

Over his career, he won a total of 28 Grammy awards, a Primetime Emmy award, and a Tony award. Furthermore, in 1994 he was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his life work. Quincy Jones was a successful African American man whose many accomplishments are often overlooked or hidden. However, as the world of music continues to evolve for the next generations, it’s important to carry on his legacy and remember how he pioneered music forever.