Quincy Jones
Born
March 14, 1933
Died
November 3, 2024 (91 years old)
Known For
Sound
Place of Birth
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award nominations, 28 Grammys, and a Grammy Legend Award in 1992.
Jones came to prominence in the 1950s as a jazz arranger and conductor before working on pop music and film scores. He moved easily between musical genres, producing Lesley Gore's major pop hits of the early 1960s (including "It's My Party") and serving as an arranger and conductor for several collaborations between the jazz artists Frank Sinatra and Count Basie in the same time period. In 1968, Jones became the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "The Eyes of Love" from the film Banning. Jones was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score for his work on the 1967 film In Cold Blood, making him the first African American to be nominated twice in the same year. Jones produced three of popstar Michael Jackson's most successful albums: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), and Bad (1987). In 1985, Jones produced and conducted the charity song "We Are the World", which raised funds for victims of famine in Ethiopia.
In 1971, Jones became the first African American to be the musical director and conductor of the Academy Awards. In 1995, he was the first African American to receive the academy's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. He is tied with sound designer Willie D. Burton as the second most Oscar-nominated African American, with seven nominations each. In 2013, Jones was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as the winner, alongside Lou Adler, of the Ahmet Ertegun Award. He was named one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century by Time.
Known For
Diane Warren: Relentless
Self
2025
Once Upon a Time Michel Legrand
Self
2024
Don Lewis and The Live Electronic Orchestra
Self
2024
The Greatest Night in Pop
Self (archive footage)
2024
Oprah & The Color Purple Journey
Self
2023
Thriller 40
Self (archive footage)
2023
They All Came Out to Montreux
Self
2023
Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes
Self
2023
King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones
Self
2023
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self (archive footage)
2022
Sidney
Self
2022
Kylie Minogue V The Bee Gees
Self (archive footage)
2022
Tony Bennett: Forget Me Not
Self
2022
Jacob Collier: In the Room Where It Happens
2022
Ennio
Self
2022
The Weeknd: 103.5 Dawn FM
Self (voice)
2022
Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over
Self
2021
Like A Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres
Self
2021
You Don't Own Me
Self
2021
Sergio Mendes in the Key of Joy
Self
2021
Ronnie's
Self (voice)
2020
Herb Alpert Is...
Self
2020
Count Basie: Through His Own Eyes
2020
Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth
Self
2020
Quincy Jones: A Musical Celebration in Paris
Self
2019
David Foster: Off the Record
Self
2019
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
Self - Musician
2019
Sherman's Showcase
Quincy Jones · (1 episode)
2019
Montreux Jazz Festival 2013 - Remember Claude Nobs
Self
2019
The Black Godfather
Self
2019
ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke
Self
2019
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
Self
2018
Quincy
Self
2018
Davi's Way
Self
2018
It Must Schwing: The Blue Note Story
Self
2018
The Jazz Ambassadors
Self
2018
Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1
Self
2018
Survivor's Guide to Prison
Self
2018
Quincy Jones & Friends - Live at Jazz Open Stuttgart
Self
2017
Jazz Open Stuttgart 2017 - Festival of World Stars and Child Prodigies
Self
2017
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
Self
2017
Carpool Karaoke: The Series
Self · (1 episode)
2017
Feel Rich: Health Is the New Wealth
Himself
2017
Sandy Wexler
Self
2017
Score: A Film Music Documentary
Self
2017
I Go Back Home - Jimmy Scott
Self
2016
More Than Jazz
Himself
2016
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall
Self
2016
Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert
Self
2015
Kareem: Minority of One
Self
2015
The Distortion of Sound
Self
2014
Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love
Self
2013
Miles Davis with Quincy Jones and the Gil Evans Orchestra Live at Montreux 1991
Himself
2013
Experience Montreux
Self
2013
Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic
Self
2013
Anouk Aimée, la beauté du geste
2012
Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp
Self
2012
Rising Above the Blues: The Story of Jimmy Scott
Self
2012
Paul Simon: Under African Skies
Self
2012
Wheedle's Groove
Self
2009
The Jazz Baroness
Self
2009
Q: The Man
Self
2009
Quincy Jones : 75th Birthday Celebration Live at Montreux
Self
2008
Quincy Jones: The Many Lives of Q
(2 episodes)
2008
Celia: The Queen
Self
2008
Quincy Jones: Breaking New Sound
Self
2008
An Evening with Quincy Jones
2008
Empreintes
(1 episode)
2007
Brando
Self
2007
King: Man of Peace in a Time of War
Self
2007
Legends
Self · (1 episode)
2006
The One Show
Self · (1 episode)
2006
Jazz Icons - Quincy Jones Live in '60
2006
The N Word
Self
2006
The Boondocks
(1 episode)
2005
The Colbert Report
(1 episode)
2005
The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer
(1 episode)
2005
Letter to the President
Self
2005
Genius. A Night for Ray Charles
Self
2004
The World of Nat King Cole
Self
2004
America Beyond the Color Line
Self · (1 episode)
2004
Best Week Ever
(1 episode)
2004
Michael Jackson: The One
Self
2004
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
Self (archive footage)
2003
Michael Jackson: Number Ones
Self (archive footage)
2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self · (1 episode)
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
(1 episode)
2003
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Quincy Jones
2002
The Cosby Show: A Look Back
Self
2002
It's Black Entertainment
Self
2002
Lesley Gore: It's Her Party
2001
Quincy Jones: In the Pocket
Self
2001
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Self
2001
Frank Sinatra Memorial
Self
2000
Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light
2000
Fantasia 2000
Self - Host
2000
Intimate Portrait: Natalie Cole
Self
1999
Quincy Jones...The First 50 Years
Self
1998
Classic Albums
Self · (1 episode)
1997
Quincy Jones: 50 Years in Music - Live at Montreux
1996
The Phil Collins Big Band - Live at Montreux 1996
Self
1996
Wayne Shorter: Live at Montreux 1996
1996
MADtv
Self · (1 episode)
1995
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
Self
1995
Oscar Peterson: Music in the Key of Oscar
Self
1995
A Great Day in Harlem
Self - Narrator
1994
The Jackson Family Honors
Self
1994
New Order Story
Self
1993
Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones
Self
1990
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Quincy Jones · (2 episodes)
1990
The Earth Day Special
Self
1990
Life Goes On
Dan Webster · (1 episode)
1989
Prince: Musical Portrait
Self
1989
The Unforgettable Nat King Cole
Self
1989
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
Self
1988
Sacrée soirée
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1987
Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes All-Star 50th Anniversary
Self
1986
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
Self
1985
I Love Quincy
Self
1984
Diana
Self
1981
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self · (1 episode)
1978
The Wiz
Emerald City Gold Pianist (uncredited)
1978
Wiz on Down the Road
Self - Music Arranger / Emerald City Gold Pianist
1978
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host & Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1975
Great Performances
Self · (2 episodes)
1971
We Are Universal
1971
Ironside
(1 episode)
1967
Frank Sinatra Spectacular
Self - Conductor
1965
The Oscars
Self · (3 episodes)
1953
Science Fiction Film Awards
Himself · (1 episode)