Quincy Jones: the legendary producer’s Grammy history, including his celebrated works with Michael Jackson

• Tributes continue to be paid to music producer Quincy Jones, who has died at the age of 91.
• The news was shared by his family on November 3, as he was surrounded by family at his home.
• One of the most influential producers in the music industry, here’s a look back at his greatest accomplishment and works with Michael Jackson.

The world of music is in mourning today after the news that the great Quincy Jones has died at the age of 91. The news was confirmed by Jones’ publicist on November 3 2024. 

In a statement from the family, including actress Rashida Jones, they wrote: "Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones' passing.

"And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”

The music producer has been a cornerstone of the music industry since his early beginnings as an 18 year old in Seattle, performing as a trumpeter and arranger for various jazz bands around the area. 

That brought Jones to the attention of jazz legend Lionel Hampton, who invited him to join the band as his arranger, leading to Jones to move to Paris in the mid-50s to attend the  prestigious Paris Conservatory of Music with Nadia Boulanger and Olivier Messiaen.

While there, he continued to build his reputation as an arranger and musician, working with notable jazz figures like Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie. By the late 1950s, Jones was already leading his own big band and had begun composing scores for films and television, which helped lay the groundwork for his later, more diverse career in production and scoring.

Those formative years would lead to Jones working with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel and several acclaimed production credits during Michael Jackson’s career. It led to 80 Grammy nominations throughout Jones’ life, winning 28 awards and ranks among the most nominated artists in the awards history.

But when did Quincy Jones win his first Grammy award, and who has been the most successful artist to work with Quincy Jones when it comes to the musical award - that led to some bad blood between producer and artist shortly after their celebrated win? 

When did Quincy Jones win his first Grammy?

Quincy Jones won his first Grammy Award in 1962 for Best Instrumental Arrangement for his arrangement of Count Basie’s "I Can't Stop Loving You." This marked the beginning of a storied career, as Jones would go on to become one of the most awarded and nominated figures in Grammy history, with 28 wins out of 80 nominations.

Who has been the most successful artist to work with Quincy Jones in terms of Grammys?

The most successful artist to work with Quincy Jones, in terms of Grammy Awards, is Michael Jackson. 

Jackson won a total of 13 Grammy Awards, with eight of those wins tied to Thriller alone, including Album of the Year, which Jones produced. Their collaboration on Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad helped elevate Jackson’s music to a global phenomenon, with Thriller still holding the record as the best-selling album of all time.

Did Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson fall out?

Sadly they did -  after their successful collaborations, Jackson wanted more creative control over his music. He chose to work with different producers for his subsequent albums, which marked a shift in their collaboration and strained their relationship.

In a 2018 interview for Vulture, Jones recalled: “I used to be a musician, but then I became a businessperson. I’m not a businessman; I’m a musician. I don’t want to hear about the music industry. I want to hear about music... I could have done without a lot of that stuff.

“I never liked the way he did it. I never liked the way he did it. I had to let it go. I just had to let it go.”

In the years following Jackson's death in 2009, Jones expressed frustration regarding royalties and compensation related to his work on Jackson’s albums. He filed a lawsuit against the Michael Jackson estate in 2013, claiming he was owed millions in unpaid royalties from various projects, including the This Is It documentary and Cirque du Soleil shows. 

That led to some of the strongest comments Jones made about Jackson, with his lawsuit claiming: “Michael used to be my friend, but I don't recognize him anymore."

Though in the years following Jackson's death, Jones maintained a level of reverence for Jackson, often sharing anecdotes and expressing sorrow over their lost friendship. However, he also addressed the complexities and challenges that arose during their collaboration.

Was Quincy Jones close to becoming an EGOT member?

ones was very close to achieving EGOT status, which refers to winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Alongside his countless Grammy wins, Jones won an Emmy Award in 1977 for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for the miniseries Roots, which recognized his significant contributions to television music.

Although he was nominated for seven Oscars during his career for his work in film scoring, he never won. His nominations included films like In Cold Blood (1967) and The Color Purple (1985). 

It was a similar case with the Tony Awards; despite not winning, he was involved in producing the Broadway musical The Color Purple, which won multiple Tony Awards after his involvement.

What was the last Grammy that Quincy Jones won before his death?

Quincy Jones’ last Grammy win took place at the 65th awards held in 2023; through Harry Styles’ win with Harry’s House as the Album of the Year, it took Jones’ all-time Grammy records to 28 wins from 80 nominations.

What are some of your favourite songs that Quincy Jones produced during his illustrious career? Share your memories of listening to the works of the hallowed music producer by leaving a comment down below.