Music legend Quincy Jones died in his Los Angeles home on November 3, 2024, at 91. Throughout his career, he collaborated with famous personalities like Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and others. However, he made an interesting revelation during a 2018 interview with GQ.
While discussing how he stopped drinking due to his type 2 diabetes, he showed the interviewer, Chris Heath, the ring on his little finger. The ring belonged to Frank Sinatra, who had worn it for 40 years. After he died in 1998, he gave the ring to Quincy Jones. According to Jones,
“This is his family crest from Sicily.”
When Heath asked whether he wore that ring daily, the record producer said he couldn’t remove it. Quincy Jones then described Sinatra as a man with intense feelings, offering deep love or displaying a fierce, unyielding side.
Jones shared stories of Frank Sinatra’s attempts at fighting, saying he wasn’t very skilled but would have Jilly, his gangster-like right-hand man, step in to protect him when needed. Reflecting on their time together, Jones recalled their fun moments, like joining him on his Learjet for quick trips, often in the company of several Playboy bunnies.
Chris Heath then asked whether Quincy Jones and Sinatra had the first song played on the moon, by which he referred to Fly Me to the Moon. Jones recounted that in 1969, Frank excitedly informed him that Buzz Aldrin had taken music to the moon, proudly calling to share the news. Frank Sinatra, sounding thrilled, said they planned to incorporate that music into their show.
Quincy Jones said Frank Sinatra tried to hook him up with Marilyn Monroe
Quincy Jones reminisced, sharing how Frank Sinatra had often wanted to set him up with Marilyn Monroe, though he wasn’t particularly interested, humorously comparing her figure. He reflected on coming up alongside the charismatic Ray Charles and Sinatra, calling them the wildest characters he had known.
With their charm and appeal, both men seemed to have no shortage of admirers, teaching Jones a thing or two about handling fame. He also mentioned Rubirosa, whom he described as the ultimate playboy.
In 1983, his studio album Thriller sold over 20 million copies, maintaining its status alongside albums like the Eagles' Greatest Hits 1971-1975 as one of the best-selling albums ever. Quincy Jones had once explained in a 2016 Library of Congress interview that if an album underperformed, producers were often blamed, so it made sense they should receive credit when one succeeded.
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He noted that creating music required a producer’s skill, vision, and experience to complete each track. Jones’s extensive list of honors spanned 18 pages in his 2001 autobiography, Q. At that time, he had 27 Grammy Awards, which eventually increased to 28, two honorary Academy Awards, and an Emmy for Roots.
Additionally, he received France’s Legion of Honour, Italy's Rudolph Valentino Award, and a Kennedy Center Honor for his cultural contributions. His life was chronicled in two documentaries: Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones in 1990 and another in 2018, directed by his daughter Rashida Jones. His memoir became a bestseller, marking yet another achievement in his career.
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