Black Music Sunday: Remembering the late, great Quincy Jones

Black Music Sunday is a weekly series highlighting all things Black music, with over 235 stories covering performers, genres, history, and more, each featuring its own vibrant soundtrack. I hope you’ll find some familiar tunes and perhaps an introduction to something new.

There are times in this country when we need to celebrate triumphs over adversity. This is one of those times. Black music and musicians have gotten us through many times of trouble in the past, and both will continue to do so. Let us gather together today to honor a man who weathered this nation’s racial and economic barriers to rise in triumph against them.

The life and work of Quincy Delight Jones Jr., affectionately known as “Q,” is one such story. A trumpeter, producer, conductor, composer, and arranger, Jones was born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago, and left this earthly realm on Nov. 3, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 91.

For over almost five decades, Jones persevered, rising from a life of abject hardship to become a major influence in not only the music industry, but also in the worlds of film and television. From the moment the news of his death was announced by his family, people from across the nation and around the globe have paid homage to Jones—and not only his friends, but from all whose lives he touched through his craft.

Join us in celebration of his life and legacy.