Jamie Foxx has joined the likes of Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Toto’s Steve Lukather, and others who have paid tribute to the “peerless music producer” Quincy Jones in the wake of his death at the age of 91. In his own post, Foxx thanked the late producer for his indelible impact on music and the kindness he showed his late sister.
“You allowed her to feel like she was a superstar,” Foxx said of his sister, DeOndra Dixon who died in October 2020. “She loves you just like all of us did… please say hello to her if u run into her on your angelic journey.”
The Django Unchained actor also recalled memories of Jones visiting his home and sharing heartwarming stories at his dinner table, adding, “You have no idea the impact you had on a young man from Texas. The impact you had on the entire world will never be forgotten….. rest in power KING.”
Jones died at his Bel Air, California, home Sunday. Throughout his seven-decade career, Jones dabbled in big-band jazz, bebop, gospel, blues, soul, funk, quiet storm R&B, disco, rock, and rap. Early in his career, he began as a jazz trumpeter and worked his way up, collaborating with Ray Charles on his 1957 album The Great Ray Charles and conducting Frank Sinatra’ Band.
Foxx portrayed Jones’ longtime friend and mentor Charles, in the 2004 biopic Ray. Foxx, who sought mentorship from Jones for the role, later won an Oscar for his portrayal of the “Hit the Road Jack” soul singer the following year.
Most notably, Jones produced Michael Jackson‘s Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad albums and worked with the popstar on the charity track “We Are the World,” which aimed to help those suffering from famine in Africa. The Jackson estate thanked Jones for his genre-jumping contributions to music and called him a “legendary talent.”
“Q you are a one of one…when God made you. He took a 30 minute break. Because he had just made someone special,” Foxx wrote.