Some of the biggest names in popular culture and politics, from Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama to Sir Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, have remembered Quincy Jones in a succession of personal tributes.
In a lengthy appreciation in Rolling Stone, Wonder said the musician and producer, who died on Sunday at the age of 91, “should be remembered as one of God’s greatest gifts to the world”.
Winfrey said “my life changed forever for the better” after she met him, and described him as “love lived out loud in human form”.
Sir Paul said he was “supremely talented” and recalled how he “always had a twinkle in his eye and had a very positive, loving spirit which infected everyone who knew him”.
“His long career stretches back to the early days when he was a trumpet player, then a band leader, then a producer of many great records,” Sir Paul wrote.
“But it is as a friend I would like to remember him. We always had fun in his presence and his legend will continue through the years, but it is those private moments we were lucky enough to have with the great man that I will always remember fondly.”
Jones helped create classic recordings with musicians including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles, and wrote more than 50 film and TV soundtracks.
He also produced movies including 1985’s The Color Purple, which gave Winfrey her big break.
“I had never experienced, nor have since, anyone whose heart was so filled with love,” the presenter and actress said.
“He walked around with his heart wide open, and he treated everybody as if they were the most important person he’d ever met. He was the Light. No shadows.”
She added: “He was the Mightiest of Souls. His life enhanced mine and every life he touched. That will be his global legacy.
“Biggest, fullest, most love-filled life ever. One of One!”
In his tribute, Wonder wrote that “losing Quincy is more than heartbreaking”.
The pair worked together when Jones produced 1985 charity single We Are the World, and on songs with Jackson and Donna Summer.
Jones was motivated by “the idea of giving and getting the best – not for the money of it, just for the art of it”, Wonder wrote. “You can look back and hear all of that when you hear his music.”
The singer added that Jones “should be remembered as a star that we will keep burning for as long as we, as humans, exist, by carrying on the messages and the music that he did”.
“If I could have chosen my last words to Quincy before he made that transition, I would have to borrow something that Duke Ellington would always say: ‘Quincy, I love you madly.'”
‘Changed history’
The Weeknd, who wrote the foreword to Jones’s book 12 Notes On Life And Creativity and featured him on his album Dawn FM, posted a 900-word tribute to “the man who changed, not only the course of my life, but the course of history”.
“The work that he does when the cameras are turned off have often been the most impactful,” he wrote.
“His humility was beyond me. In this business, it’s common to think you’re the biggest VIP on Earth after earning a hit record and a bit of fame.
“But to see the man who has achieved more than anyone else carry himself without a single ounce of selfishness was the best example of walking the talk.”
Hitmaker Pharrell Williams hailed Jones as “The Greatest Of All Time”.
“I’m honored to have known Quincy and to have shared so many moments with him,” he wrote.
“An unparalleled talent that I will miss deeply.”
Justin Timberlake described Jones as “a once in a lifetime artist”.
He was “the example of excellence at craft” and “a mentor to so many that have followed”, he wrote.
“Growing up listening to so many of his timeless works shaped so much of the music that I wanted to make or be a part of. The maestro behind so many of my favorite artists.”
He added: “There were so many bits of guidance he gave me along the way that I will take with me forever.”
Timberlake ended his message: “RIP, King. Your contribution will live on forever and ever. What a journey you have taken us all on.”
U2 frontman Bono wrote: “Where he is this evening… the music will be a little more melodic, a little more interesting harmonically and certainly more rhythmic… and yes, louder.”
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The Fugees rapper and producer Wyclef Jean said: “R.I.P to my mentor #QuincyJones, you’re the reason I became a composer at 16… Long live the musical king.”
Barbra Streisand, who worked with Jones on her 1988 album Till I Loved You, said: “He gave so much to the world. I will miss you so much my dear friend.
“Dearest Quincy, we will always keep you in our hearts.”
Diana Ross, who appeared with Michael Jackson in 1978 film The Wiz, for which Jones produced thesoundtrack, said: “His love and music touched our hearts and souls. His words and legacy will continue to inspire us all forever.”
Jones’ prolific and varied career also included co-producing TV sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, which launched the career of Will Smith.
“Quincy Jones is the definition of a Mentor, a Father and a Friend,” Smith wrote.
“He pointed me toward the greatest parts of myself. He defended me. He nurtured me. He encouraged me. He inspired me. He checked me when he needed to. He let me use his wings until mine were strong enough to fly.”
Remembering Quincy Jones
Jones also nurtured a new generation of artists, including Grammy-winning British musician Jacob Collier.
He wrote: “More than a legend. A real-life superhero. A master maverick magician. A fierce lover of life. A human being of the highest order. My friend, soul brother, and North Star…
“He lifted me up, giving me the courage to believe in my essence and follow wherever it would lead, in a way that would fundamentally change the course of my life forever.”
He added: “I’ll greatly miss my homie, the ultra coolest ‘grandpa’ figure on the planet – the wry twinkling eye, the crooked pointing finger, the unmatched stories of Picasso, Stravinsky, Sinatra, Bird, Nadia Boulanger, ad infinatum – and the boundless kindness, unconditional support and love, besides the staggering wealth of music we all get to enjoy forever.
“You’ll be in every note I play.”
Meanwhile, Janelle Monae recalled how “musically, he inspired us to dream Wild and Big”.
She said: “He made me and so many artists and musicians feel like we could do anything. Bigger than that, through his contributions, he showed us we could do anything because he did.
“I love you. I’ll miss you. Your spirit lives on forever.”
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Oscar-winning actor and rapper Jamie Foxx thanked Jones “for giving the world music” and “for giving the world an example of what a great human being is suppose to be like”.
“You taught us how to live, you taught us how to get every moment out of life,” he said.
“You have no idea the impact you had on a young man from Texas… the impact you had on the entire world will never be forgotten… rest in power KING.”
Rapper Ice T added: “Genius is a discription loosely used but Rarely deserved. Point blank, Quincy was the MAN.
“I won my 1st Grammy with Quincy and I live with his Wisdom daily… This one Hit me. God bless you KING.”
Tributes came from the political world, too, with former US President Obama saying: “His music appealed to listeners of every race and every age.
“And by building a career that took him from the streets of Chicago to the heights of Hollywood, Quincy paved the way for generations of Black executives to leave their mark on the entertainment business.”
Presidential candidate Kamala Harris described him as a “trailblazer”.
“He lived his life unapologetically, using his gifts to lift others up,” she wrote. “He broke down barriers and opened doors for those who came after him, not for praise but because he knew the power of our shared potential.”
She added: “I was honored to call Quincy a friend. I will always remember his generosity of spirit, his selfless support, and his deep kindness. Our world has lost a giant. But in his melodies, and in the lives he touched, Quincy’s legacy will live on forever.”
And President Joe Biden said he was “a musical genius who transformed the soul of America – one beat, one rhythm, and one rhyme at a time”.
Daughter Martina Jones also shared her memories, saying her father had been “my friend, my solid, my guidance and my inspiration of what love looks like”.
She continued: “The hole in my heart will definitely take time to heal. I will hold his humor, his words, his wisdom and love of life close to my heart and move forward with the strength he instilled in me and with every ounce of my being I can only hope to hold up my siblings and love them from the bottom of my heart.
“Secondly, this is about how many lives I know he’s touched just by being who he was and sharing the love of his craft with the world. ‘D’ saying you will be missed is not enough, you will simply never be forgotten.
“Thank you for loving me and being the best Dad.”
Credit: BBC
