Quincy Jones
Biography
Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award nominations, 28 Grammys, and a Grammy Legend Award in 1992. Jones came to prominence in the 1950s as a jazz arranger and conductor before working on pop music and film scores. He moved easily between musical genres, producing Lesley Gore's major pop hits of the early 1960s (including "It's My Party") and serving as an arranger and conductor for several collaborations between the jazz artists Frank Sinatra and Count Basie in the same time period. In 1968, Jones became the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "The Eyes of Love" from the film Banning. Jones was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score for his work on the 1967 film In Cold Blood, making him the first African American to be nominated twice in the same year. Jones produced three of popstar Michael Jackson's most successful albums: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), and Bad (1987). In 1985, Jones produced and conducted the charity song "We Are the World", which raised funds for victims of famine in Ethiopia. In 1971, Jones became the first African American to be the musical director and conductor of the Academy Awards. In 1995, he was the first African American to receive the academy's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. He is tied with sound designer Willie D. Burton as the second most Oscar-nominated African American, with seven nominations each. In 2013, Jones was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as the winner, alongside Lou Adler, of the Ahmet Ertegun Award. He was named one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century by Time.
Known For

Saturday Night Live

Steve

The Colbert Report

Ironside

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Great Performances

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

The One Show
All Movies (114)
- Michael Jackson: A Life in Music2026 · as Self (archive footage)
- The Groove Under the Groove2026
- Quincy Jones, Music Man2025 · as Self (archive footage)
- Diane Warren: Relentless2025 · as Self (archive footage)
- Once Upon a Time Michel Legrand2024 · as Self
- Henry Mancini: 100 at the Hollywood Bowl2024 · as Self
- King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones2024 · as Self
- Don Lewis and The Live Electronic Orchestra2024 · as Self
- The Greatest Night in Pop2024 · as Self (archive footage)
- Oprah & The Color Purple Journey2023 · as Self
- Thriller 402023 · as Self (archive footage)
- They All Came Out to Montreux2023 · as Self
- Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes2023 · as Self
- 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony2022 · as Self (archive footage)
- Sidney2022 · as Self
- Kylie Minogue V The Bee Gees2022 · as Self (archive footage)
- Tony Bennett: Forget Me Not2022 · as Self
- Jacob Collier: In the Room Where It Happens2022
- Ennio2022 · as Self
- The Weeknd: 103.5 Dawn FM2022 · as Self (voice)
- Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over2021 · as Self
- Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres2021 · as Self
- You Don't Own Me2021 · as Self
- Sergio Mendes in the Key of Joy2021 · as Self
- Ronnie's2020 · as Self (voice)
- Herb Alpert Is...2020 · as Self
- Count Basie: Through His Own Eyes2020
- Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth2020 · as Self
- Quincy Jones: A Musical Celebration in Paris2019 · as Self
- David Foster: Off the Record2019 · as Self
- Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool2019 · as Self - Musician
- Montreux Jazz Festival 2013 - Remember Claude Nobs2019 · as Self
- The Black Godfather2019 · as Self
- Devil's Pie: D'Angelo2019 · as Self
- ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke2019 · as Self
- Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones2018 · as Self
- Quincy2018 · as Self
- Davi's Way2018 · as Self
- It Must Schwing: The Blue Note Story2018 · as Self
- The Jazz Ambassadors2018 · as Self
- Unbanned: The Legend of AJ12018 · as Self
- Survivor's Guide to Prison2018 · as Self
- Quincy Jones & Friends - Live at Jazz Open Stuttgart2017 · as Self
- Jazz Open Stuttgart 2017 - Festival of World Stars and Child Prodigies2017 · as Self
- Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me2017 · as Self
- Feel Rich: Health Is the New Wealth2017 · as Himself
- Sandy Wexler2017 · as Self
- Score: A Film Music Documentary2017 · as Self
- I Go Back Home - Jimmy Scott2016 · as Self
- More Than Jazz2016 · as Himself
- Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall2016 · as Self
- Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert2015 · as Self
- Kareem: Minority of One2015 · as Self
- The Distortion of Sound2014 · as Self
- Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love2013 · as Self
- Miles Davis with Quincy Jones and the Gil Evans Orchestra Live at Montreux 19912013 · as Himself
- Experience Montreux2013 · as Self
- Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic2013 · as Self
- Anouk Aimée, la beauté du geste2012 · as Self
- Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp2012 · as Self
- Rising Above the Blues: The Story of Jimmy Scott2012 · as Self
- Paul Simon: Under African Skies2012 · as Self
- Wheedle's Groove2009 · as Self
- The Jazz Baroness2009 · as Self
- Q: The Man2009 · as Self
- Quincy Jones : 75th Birthday Celebration Live at Montreux2008 · as Self
- Celia: The Queen2008 · as Self
- Quincy Jones: Breaking New Sound2008 · as Self
- An Evening with Quincy Jones2008
- Lady Be Good: Instrumental Women In Jazz2008 · as Self
- Brando2007 · as Self
- King: Man of Peace in a Time of War2007 · as Self
- Jazz Icons - Quincy Jones Live in '602006
- The N Word2006 · as Self
- Letter to the President2005 · as Self
- Genius. A Night for Ray Charles2004 · as Self
- The World of Nat King Cole2004 · as Self
- Michael Jackson: The One2004 · as Self
- Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection2003 · as Self (archive footage)
- Michael Jackson: Number Ones2003 · as Self (archive footage)
- Austin Powers in Goldmember2002 · as Quincy Jones
- The Cosby Show: A Look Back2002 · as Self
- It's Black Entertainment2002 · as Self
- Lesley Gore: It's Her Party2001
- Quincy Jones: In the Pocket2001 · as Self
- Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration2001 · as Self
- Frank Sinatra Memorial2000 · as Self
- Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light2000
- Fantasia 20002000 · as Self - Host
- Intimate Portrait: Natalie Cole1999 · as Self
- Quincy Jones... The First 50 Years1998 · as Self
- Creating Ragtime1998 · as Self
- Quincy Jones: 50 Years in Music - Live at Montreux1996
- The Phil Collins Big Band - Live at Montreux 19961996 · as Self
- Wayne Shorter: Live at Montreux 19961996
- Oscar Peterson: Music in the Key of Oscar1995 · as Self
- A Great Day in Harlem1994 · as Self - Narrator
- The Jackson Family Honors1994 · as Self
- New Order Story1993 · as Self
- The Real Malcolm X1992
- Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones1990 · as Self
- Benny Carter: Symphony in Riffs1990 · as Self
- The Earth Day Special1990 · as Self
- Prince: Musical Portrait1989 · as Self
- The Unforgettable Nat King Cole1989 · as Self
- Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues1988 · as Self
- Looney Tunes 50th Anniversary1986 · as Self
- We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song1985 · as Self
- I Love Quincy1984 · as Self
- Diana1981 · as Self
- The Wiz1978 · as Emerald City Gold Pianist (uncredited)
- Wiz on Down the Road1978 · as Self - Music Arranger / Emerald City Gold Pianist
- We Are Universal1971
- Frank Sinatra Spectacular1965 · as Self - Conductor
All TV Shows (29)
- Sherman's Showcase2019 · as Quincy Jones
- Steve2017 · as Self
- Carpool Karaoke: The Series2017 · as Self
- Soundbreaking2016 · as Self
- Quincy Jones: The Many Lives of Q2008
- Empreintes2007
- Legends2006 · as Self
- The One Show2006 · as Self
- The Boondocks2005
- The Colbert Report2005
- The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer2005
- America Beyond the Color Line2004 · as Self
- Best Week Ever2004
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show2003 · as Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self
- Sternstunde Kunst1998 · as Self
- Classic Albums1997 · as Self
- MADtv1995 · as Self
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air1990 · as Quincy Jones
- Life Goes On1989 · as Dan Webster
- Big World Cafe1989
- Sacrée soirée1987 · as Self (archive footage)
- The Kennedy Center Honors1978 · as Self
- Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host & Musical Guest
- Great Performances1971 · as Self
- Titel, Thesen, Temperamente1967 · as Self
- Ironside1967
- The Oscars1953 · as Self
- Science Fiction Film Awards— · as Himself