The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com.
Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history!
NOV 4: Sadly, today Quincy Jones passed away at age 91. The legendary American record producer, composer, arranger, and musician whose influence on modern music spanned over seven decades was born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois. Jones began his career as a jazz trumpet player before transitioning into production and composition, becoming one of the most versatile figures in music history. His ability to work across genres—jazz, pop, R&B, funk, and classical - made him a pioneer, with a profound impact on the sound and structure of contemporary music.
Jones began his career in jazz, working alongside legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie. He became the first African American vice president at a major record label, Mercury Records, in 1961, where he broke new ground and began producing records that highlighted the talent of emerging artists. In the 1970s and 80s, Jones reached new heights as a producer, particularly through his work with Michael Jackson. He produced three of Jackson’s most famous albums—Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), and Bad (1987). Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, and Jones’s production on it is widely regarded as a masterclass in blending pop, rock, and R&B.
Beyond Jackson, Jones worked with many other artists, including Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, and Ray Charles, showcasing his skill in enhancing each artist's unique sound. His 1985 production of We Are the World, a charity single for African famine relief, brought together dozens of music superstars and became one of the best-selling singles of all time.
Jones won 28 Grammy Awards out of 80 nominations, making him one of the most decorated individuals in Grammy history. In addition to his music career, he was also a film producer and philanthropist, dedicated to music education and promoting diversity in the arts. Quincy Jones’s career exemplified excellence, creativity, and a commitment to breaking barriers in music and beyond.
Photo: LA Times [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en]
NOV 12: Happy birthday to Neil Young, born today in 1945! The Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, and activist is known for his distinctive voice, poetic songwriting, and genre-defining contributions to rock, folk, and country music. Born in Toronto in 1945, Young’s early career took off when he moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s, where he joined the band Buffalo Springfield alongside Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. With Buffalo Springfield, Young honed his songwriting and explored the blend of folk and rock that would become his signature sound.
Young launched his solo career in 1969, releasing albums like Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and After the Gold Rush, both of which showcased his lyrical depth and the raw, electric guitar tone he became known for. He achieved mainstream success with songs like "Heart of Gold" and "Old Man," and his work with Crazy Horse produced rock anthems like "Cinnamon Girl" and "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)." His lyrics often address themes of love, loss, social justice, and environmental advocacy, underscoring his commitment to activism.
A lifelong innovator, Young’s influence extends into the digital music industry with his creation of the high-fidelity audio platform Pono. He remains a prolific artist, continuously writing, recording, and touring well into his later years.
Photo: Andy Roo [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en]
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