Quincy Jones: Top Collaborations Across Thriller, Frank Sinatra, Classic Film, and TV Themes – Entertainment and Arts News
Quincy Jones, a highly influential jazz musician of the 20th century, was a titan of the music industry who collaborated with many of the world’s biggest stars.
He worked with and produced hundreds of recording artists over his seven-decade career, and socialized with presidents, foreign leaders, movie stars, musicians, philanthropists, and business leaders.
His exceptional talent was acknowledged with 28 Grammys and an Oscar.
After his passing at the age of 91, let’s take a look at some of his most remarkable collaborations.
Michael Jackson
Jones played a major role in transforming Michael Jackson from a child star to the King of Pop – producing his groundbreaking albums like Thriller, Off The Wall, and Bad.
Timeless in their style and appeal, classic hits such as Billie Jean and Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough still receive regular airplay four decades after their release.
Jones and Jackson had a long-lasting partnership, with Thriller alone selling over 20 million copies in 1983, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.
Pic: Ralph Dominguez/MediaPunch /IPX/AP
Frank Sinatra
The crooner Frank Sinatra was so close to Jones – whom he affectionately called “Q” – that he bequeathed him his ring, emblazoned with his family crest, after his passing.
Jones’s rendition of Sinatra’s timeless song Fly Me To The Moon – infused with a lively, swinging rhythm and soulful flute – has become the most recognizable version of the tune.
It’s so beloved that it was played on the moon during the 1968 moon landing, as recounted by astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
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Ray Charles
As a teenager, Jones – who had mastered the trumpet – struck up a friendship with a young Ray Charles.
Jones viewed the blind musician’s ability to overcome challenges as one of his inspirations to thrive in the music industry. They went on to become lifelong companions.
Jones produced the majority of Charles’s 1961 album Genius + Soul = Jazz, and authored his hit In The Heat Of The Night.
Singer Ray Charles, left, accepts his Hall of Fame award from presenter Quincy Jones at the NAACP Image Awards in March 2004. Pic: AP/Mark J. Terrill
Lionel Richie
In 1985, alongside Lionel Richie, Jones organized We Are The World – a song aimed at raising funds to combat famine in Ethiopia – and one of the top hit songs of its era.
The star-studded chorus included Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, and Smokey Robinson.
Jones – dubbed “the master orchestrator” by Richie – established the atmosphere for the recording session with a sign that said: “Leave your ego at the door.”
(L-R) Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Jones, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie in 1986. Pic: AP
From Austin Powers to The Fresh Prince
Jones composed soundtracks for more than 50 films and TV shows.
His film scores included In The Heat Of The Night, The Color Purple, and The Italian Job.
His TV theme music ranged from shows like Sanford And Son, Ironside to an early rendition of the catchy theme for The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.
And a special shoutout to the endlessly catchy Soul Bossa Nova – created and first performed by Jones in 1962. It has since been featured in numerous TV shows and movies, most notably as the theme for Austin Powers.
