Heartbroken celebrities react to the death of legendary music producer Quincy Jones

The entertainment world is mourning the loss of legendary producer, composer, songwriter and arranger Quincy Jones, who died on Sunday at the age of 91.

Tributes to the late music icon flooded social media Monday from musicians who worked with Jones to actors who admired his contributions to film and theater.

“My Heavenly Twin Quincy was a giant in the music world,” actor Michael Caine, who shares Jones’ birthday on March 13, 1933, wrote in X. “He was a wonderful person and special, lucky to know him.”

Ice T, who won his first Grammy with Jones for the 1989 single “Back on the Block,” called Jones a genius.

“Quincy was clearly a MAN,” the rapper wrote on X. “I live with his wisdom everyday. My condolences to his family who I had the honor of meeting. This one beat me. God bless you LORD.”

R&B singer Ledisi, who sang a tribute to Jones in 2018, called Jones “a great teacher” to X and thanked him for “so many lessons and a lifetime of music.”

Other tributes included those from the actress Colman Domingoplaywright Lynn Nottagesinger Harry Connick Jr. and actress Sheryl Lee Ralph.

“Rest in Peace and Perfect Mind Quincy Jones! What a wonderful life,” Ralph wrote to X

The actor also included a clip from the 1978 film “The Wiz,” for which Jones produced a song.

“The magic of Quincy Jones,” Ralph wrote alongside the clip.

Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, told the Associated Press that he died Sunday night at his home in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, surrounded by his family.

Jones’ legacy includes producing Michael Jackson’s historic 1982 “Thriller” album, writing award-winning scores for film and television and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and hundreds of other recording artists.

Among those artists was The Weeknd. Jones lent his voice to the pop star’s 2022 album “Dawn FM.”

“The reason,” The Weeknd wrote about the producer behind X. “Thank you for everything Mr. Quincy Jones.”

Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1933, Jones cited the hymns his mother sang around the house as the first music he could remember. When he was a boy, he learned that his neighbor had a piano and soon he too was playing it non-stop. His father moved to Washington state when Jones was 10 years old and his world changed in the neighborhood entertainment center.

Jones and some friends had broken into the kitchen and were helping themselves to lemon meringue pie when Jones saw a small room near the stage with a stage. There was a piano on the platform. Within a few years, he was playing the trumpet and befriended a young blind musician named Ray Charles, who became a lifelong friend.

Jones continued to work as a freelance composer, conductor, arranger and producer. As a teenager, he supported Billie Holiday. In his mid-20s, he was touring with his own band. Jones won a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston but dropped out when Lionel Hampton invited him to tour with his band. He later edited records for Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, composed the soundtracks for “Roots” and “In the Heat of the Night,” organized President Clinton’s inaugural party and oversaw the all-star recording of “We Are the World.”

However, Jones’ biggest production credits are three of Jackson’s most successful albums: “Off the Wall,” “Thriller” and “Bad.” “Thriller” sold more than 20 million copies in 1983 alone, helped Jackson become the first major black artist to have a video played on MTV and inspired many fans.

“The world mourns the loss and celebrates the life of Quincy Jones – a legendary talent whose musical contributions touched generations and genres,” the official X statement for Jackson wrote on Monday. “The decade-long MJ/Q collaboration is unparalleled and includes the best-selling album of all time. Rest in Peace, Q.”

Jones’ numerous awards include 28 Grammy Awards, including the Recording Academy Trustees Award in 1989 and the Grammy Legend Award in 1992. Jones has received an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, and a National Award. of the Art Award. Jones also received the Ahmet Ertegun Award at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

“Quincy Jones excelled in every role he played. Producer, arranger, trumpet player, manager, and more,” The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame wrote in X. “Jones created the standard of innovation; successful in every aspect of the music industry, he set the example for today’s music mogul.”

Jones also received France’s Legion d’Honneur and the Rudolph Valentino Medal from the Italian Republic. In 2001, Jones was named a Kennedy Center Honoree for his contributions to American culture. He was the subject of a 1990 documentary, “Listen: The Lives of Quincy Jones,” and his memoir made him a best-selling author.

He is survived by his daughter, actress Rashida Jones, and five other daughters, a son, a brother and sisters, according to the AP.