Grammy-Winning Music Icon Quincy Jones Dies At 91

Music icon, composer, and producer Quincy Jones has died at age 91. His cause of death was not disclosed in the statement made by the artist's rep, Arnold Robinson. Jones' 70-year-long career in entertainment was so prominent that he went by a one-letter handle "Q." "Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones' passing...And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him," said Jones' family in a statement. He contributed to many remarkable albums in jazz, soul, disco, pop, and funk, as well as several of the biggest pop albums of the century. Q collected six of his 28 Grammy Awards for his 1990 album 'Back on the Block' and was a three-time producer of the year honoree. Among Jones's most notable achievements was producing Michael Jackson's albums *'Off the Wall'*, *'Thriller'*, and *'Bad'*, reshaping the standards for pop albums and stardom. According to the RIAA, the albums together produced 17 Top 10 hits on the Hot 100, including nine number ones, and sold over 50 million units in the US Before working with Jackson, Jones produced jazz and 60s pop, composed film scores, studied under Nadia Boulanger, arranged for Ray Charles, and conducted Frank Sinatra's band. In 1985, Jones gathered 46 of America's most popular singers of the time, including Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner and Cyndi Lauper to record 'We Are the World.' "[Jones'] contributions to American culture were limitless", noting he was the first black person nominated for an Oscar for best score among his other achievements," said playwright Jeremy O'Harris. He also produced 'The Color Purple', which introduced audiences to then-unknown talents Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg, and was one of the producers behind 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.'