The cause of death of Quincy Jones has been revealed ten days after the music icon’s death at the age of 91.
Super producer Jones died of pancreatic cancer, according to his death certificate released by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and obtained by TMZ.
There were no other factors contributing to his death. It is not known how long Jones had been battling cancer.
Jones produced Michael Jackson’s Thriller album and collaborated with artists such as Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles.
His publicist Arnold Robinson confirmed that he died on November 3 surrounded by his family at his home in the Bel Air area of Los Angeles, California.
Jones’ family – including his actress daughter Rashida Jones, who played Karen Filippelli on The Office – said in a statement: “Tonight, it is with complete but broken hearts that we share the news of the passing of our father and brother Quincy Jones.
The cause of death of Quincy Jones has been revealed ten days after the music icon’s death at the age of 91 – photo 2006
Super producer Jones died of pancreatic cancer, according to his death certificate released by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and obtained by TMZ – photo 1991
Jones’ last Instagram post, a day before his death, wished his daughter Martina “Tina” a happy birthday and included a photo of the two smiling together. It read, ‘Congratulations to my Tina Beena! So proud to be your daddy! Big hug, I love you forever.”
“And while this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the amazing life he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
Along with Rashida, Jones – known to friends as “Q” – is survived by daughters Jolie Jones Levine, Rachel Jones, Martina Jones, Kidada Jones and Kenya Kinski-Jones; son Quincy Jones III; brother Richard Jones and sisters Theresa Frank and Margie Jay.
Jones’ latest Instagram post yesterday wished his daughter Martina ‘Tina’ a happy birthday and included a photo of the two smiling together. It read, ‘Congratulations to my Tina Beena! So proud to be your daddy! Big hug, I love you forever.”
Jones rose to the top of show business when he became one of the first black executives to thrive in Hollywood and amass an extraordinary musical catalog.
He toured with Count Basie and Lionel Hampton, arranged records for Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald and composed soundtracks for Roots and In The Heat Of The Night.
Jones organized then-President Bill Clinton’s first inaugural celebration and oversaw the all-star recording of We Are The World in 1985 for famine relief in Africa.
Michael Jackson with Quincy Jones at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in February 1984
Quincy was the father of seven children, including actress Rashida Jones – pictured in 2020
Lionel Richie, who co-wrote We Are the World and was one of the singers on the charity record, would call Jones “the master orchestrator.”
He will probably be best remembered for his productions with Jackson, where his versatility and imagination showcased the singer’s talents as he transformed from child star to the ‘King of Pop’.
On classic songs like “Billie Jean” and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” Jones and Jackson created a global soundscape from disco, funk, rock, pop, R&B and jazz and African chants.
For “Thriller,” some of the most memorable touches came from Jones, who recruited Eddie Van Halen for a guitar solo on the genre-melting “Beat It” and brought in Vincent Price for a creepy voiceover on the title track.
‘Thriller’ sold more than 20 million copies in 1983 alone and competed with the Eagles’ ‘Greatest Hits 1971-1975’ as the best-selling album of all time.