By Frank “Smokin” Truatt
I was saddened early this week to hear of the passing of Quincy Jones, another American musical icon who left a big mark in pop culture. The first time I heard about Quincy Jones was in 1975. I was the music director at my college radio station Clarkson University) and a record came to the station called “Is It Love That We’re Missin’?” I liked the song and added it into our music rotation. The single, which peaked at number 70 featured a then unknown duo called The Brothers Johnson who would have their hits starting the following year. A few years later in 1977, Quincy Jones released the “Roots Medley.” It was an instrumental that featured music from the television mini-series of the same name. We played that song too. He had the unique ability to select the music and hire the right vocalist to achieve the sound he was looking for. Artists that sang for Quincy included Patti Austin, James Ingram, Chaka Khan, Barry White and Babyface to name a few. Quincy Jones may best be remembered for producing three of the most successful albums by Michael Jackson, “Off the Wall, “Thriller” and “Bad.” It was Jones who produced and conducted “We Are the World,” the fundraiser for Ethiopia. Very few are aware that he also produced four million-selling singles for Leslie Gore way back in the 1960’s, “It’s My Party,” “Judy’s Turn to Cry,” “She’s a Fool” and “You Don’t Own Me.” All in all, Quincy Jones left his mark in entertainment through his talent over many decades. He produced, wrote songs, composed and arranged part of the soundtrack of our lives. Very few can say they worked with the “Chaiman of the Board,” Frank Sinatra and the “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson. He wrote his autobiography in 2001 which must be an interesting read, and who knows, hopefully one day, a feature movie. Twenty-eight Grammy awards and a Grammy Legend Award…that says it all. It was a 70-year career that will be impossible to top by the producers and artists of today. Jones claimed that he never learned to drive. Well, there’s no doubt that he drove a legion of followers into the record stores to pick up a piece of that Quincy Jones magic!
