LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Music producer and composer Quincy Jones is dead at age 91. His publicist says he died peacefully in his home, surrounded by family in Bel Air, California.
In a statement, his family said they're celebrating his life despite their broken hearts. He also suffered two brain aneurysms in 1974 that nearly took his life. Jones was one of the most Grammy-nominated artists of all time.
He is best known for polishing the work of Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson. Jones shortly recovered and went right back to work. In 1933, Jones found his passion for music when his family moved to Seattle in the late ‘40s.
Jones took a job as a trumpet player with the Lionel Hampton band. He worked with musical greats such as Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dinah Washington and Ray Charles.
During the ‘60s, Jones began writing film scores for movies such as the Pawnbroker in Cold Blood. He produced albums for Aretha Franklin, George Benson and Michael Jackson's first solo effort.
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