Quincy Jones’ final Instagram post before his death at 91
Legendary music producer Quincy Jones shared a heartfelt final post on Instagram just hours before his death.
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Quincy Jones shared a loving message for his daughter in his final Instagram post.
The legendary music producer has been remembered as a “titan” of the music industry after his death in Los Angeles at the age of 91 on Sunday night local time.
Hours before his death, he shared a heartfelt message to his daughter Martina after she turned 58 on Friday.
“Happy Birthday to my Tina Beena @martinafotos1!!. So proud to be yo papa!” Quincy wrote next to a happy snap with his daughter.
“Big hug, I love you eternally,” the message added.
Jones’ publicist Arnold Robinson said Jones died surrounded by his family at his home in Bel Air, Los Angeles.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” Jones’ family said in a statement.
“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.”
“He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created,” the statement continued.
“Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity.”
MICHAEL CAINE, OPRAH PAY TRIBUTE TO A ‘TITAN’
Tributes have poured in from around the world including from Jones’ close friend, Oscar-winning British actor Michael Caine: “My Celestial twin Quincy was a titan in the musical world. He was a wonderful and unique human being, lucky to have known him.”
Paul McCartney said Jones ”was supremely talented, and I felt privileged to have known him for many years.”
“Quincy or ‘Quince’ or ‘Q’, as he was known, always had a twinkle in his eye and had a very positive, loving spirit which infected everyone who knew him,” McCartney added.
McCartney continued: “My main recollections of him were always the private moments that we shared, and I will never stop thanking Nancy for always arranging to visit him when we were in Los Angeles. These visits were fun and inspiring.”
Oprah Winfrey paid tribute to her “beloved Q”, saying her “life changed” when the producer “discovered” the media mogul for a role in The Colour Purple.
“He was love lived out loud in human form and he was the first person I ever loved unconditionally,” Winfrey said.
“That’s how we signed all of our notes to each other – ‘unconditionally’.”
Steven Spielberg, who directed 1985’s The Color Purple, which Jones produced and composed the music for, said: “For all of us who value what Quincy Jones contributed to art, society and the human race, he was the World, we are his children. Never to be forgotten for his inimitable talent and legendary contribution to music and culture, and the goal of healing the world, Q was also a profoundly wonderful mentor, a doer and a uniter. Most of all, he was our friend.”
Rapper and actor LL Cool J wrote: “You were a father and example at a time when I truly needed a father and example. Mentor. Role model. King. You gave me opportunities and shared wisdom. Music would not be music without you. My condolences to the entire family. I love you. Rest in the sweetest music eternally.”
Producer and rapper Dr. Dre also paid tribute, saying: “Quincy is the reason why I decided to become a record producer. … Forever inspired by the incomparable Quincy Jones.”
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Victoria Monét tweeted: “To one of my biggest inspirations! Quincy, I love you so much!!! Your legacy will live on forever and ever. Heaven definitely got an upgrade with you.”
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Oscar nominee Colman Domingo also praised the late producer.
“He asked, where are you from? Philly I replied, his eyes twinkled and he talked about the Uptown Theater. I was so thrilled to meet Mr. American Music himself. I literally kneeled because he was a King. Thank you Mr. Quincy Jones for giving us all the sound.”
Reverend Al Sharpton tweeted: “I’m saddened to hear about the passing of Quincy Jones. Today, we remember a true giant — a cultural icon whose transformative influence will live on.”
“We’re saddened to hear that legendary musician and producer Quincy Jones has died aged 91,” the official BAFTA account tweeted.
“Alongside an illustrious career in popular music, Jones also composed a huge number of film soundtracks including The Italian Job and turned his hand to producing for screen with The Colour Purple and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
60-YEAR CAREER
Jones’ phenomenal career spanned more than 60 years. He was a master artist whisperer, with an uncanny ear for talent and how to best use that talent. Ultimately, his genius would put him in the studio with Frank Sinatra in the late 1950s after he was asked by Princess Grace of Monaco to curate a charity concert in the European principality.
He would go on to produce or arrange songs for Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, George Benson, Lesley Gore, before his defining work with Michael Jackson.
After the pop superstar and Jones worked together in 1978 on The Wiz, an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz (which also starred Diana Ross), he went on to produce Jackson’s trilogy of smash hit albums starting with Off The Wall in 1979, then Thriller in 1982 and Bad in 1987.
But it was the 1982 masterpiece Thriller that made his name. The album, which made Michael Jackson the biggest star of the 1980s, featured global hits, Billie Jean, Beat It, Thriller, Wanna Be Startin’ Something, P.Y.T, Human Nature and The Girl is Mine (featuring Paul McCartney). It remains the biggest selling album of all time, shifting an estimated 70 million copies globally.
In 1985, he helmed the historic recording sessions for the charity single We Are the World, the best-selling single of all time. And it was historic in more ways than one with Jones, Jackson and Lionel Richie somehow managing to wrangle the likes of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Diana Ross, Steve Perry, Darryl Hall and more into one room on one epic night. (Watch Netflix’s brilliant The Greatest Night in Pop documentary to see just how it played out.)
Jones extended his influence beyond the music industry to Hollywood with his titular film and television production company which created the smash hit television series Fresh prince of Bel Air which launched Will Smith’s career.
Jones narrowly escaped his life being cut short twice, the first time when he forgot an appointment to see actress Sharon Tate at her home on the night of the Charles Manson murders and when he suffered a brain aneurysm in 1974.
Jones won 28 Grammys over his 75-year career and was also a prolific composer for film, producing the soundtracks for more than 30 movies including The Colour Purple, In The Heat of the Night and The Italian Job.
Born on the South Side of Chicago on March 14, 1933, and began playing in bands when he was a teenager after moving to Seattle.
He is survived by his seven children, including the actor Rashida Jones.
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Originally published as Quincy Jones’ final Instagram post before his death at 91
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