Quincy Jones moved effortlessly between jazz, film scores, pop, and philanthropy—opening doors for others and setting an example for creative longevity.
Highlights
- First Black vice-president at a major label; genre-crossing producer and composer.
- Produced Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad—records that redefined pop.
- Led “We Are the World” and founded the Quincy Jones Foundation.
- Celebrated with a Kennedy Center Honor, France’s Legion of Honor, and 28 Grammys.
Longevity habits (what we notice)
- Constant learning and fearless collaboration across generations.
- Purpose beyond self—mentoring and philanthropy kept him engaged.
Farewell
Quincy Jones passed in 2024 at 91, leaving an unmatched cultural legacy—and a blueprint for creative life that never retires.
Pull-quote:
“Make the room bigger—then bring others in.”
Internal links:
Related topics: Two Ages Your Body Ages Faster—44 & 60 and The Key to Longevity.
Image Credits – “Quincy Jones in his home studio,” Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection, UCLA Library Special Collections (Aug 10, 1980). Photographer uncredited. © The Regents of the University of California. Licensed CC BY 4.0.
Source: digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/13030/hb9q2nb6qx — License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Changes: cropped/resized.