Quincy Jones passed away at the age of 91, leaving behind not only a massive musical legacy but also some hidden facts that shed light on his sincere feelings for two of the music industry’s most legendary figures. : Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.
Jones has made his opinion of Presley very clear, even calling the singer racist.
Before Jones’ death, the music producer proudly announced that he had never worked with Presley after being informed by band leader Tommy Dorsey that the singer had racist tendencies.
According to Radar Online, Jonas said, “I was writing for Tommy Dorsey and Elvis came. Tommy said, ‘I don’t want to play with him.’ He’s a racist mother—-.”
He continued, “But every time I met Elvis, he was coached by [‘Don’t Be Cruel’ songwriter] Otis Blackwell, teach him how to sing.”
Known for his collaborations with music icons such as Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Celine Dion, Jones boldly spoke out against widespread racism in the music industry.
“I remember I would be at Universal [Studios] walk down the hallway and the guys would say, ‘This is s——–‘ in Yiddish. And I know what that means.”
As Jones engages in a fierce battle of wits with music industry figures, The Jacksons, a revelation resurfaces. He gets into a complicated situation with his family, trying to get back $30 million that was allegedly embezzled from him.
In 2013, allegations surfaced that the jazz musician accused Jackson’s family of reneging on a business deal he had signed with the late music icon Michael Jackson to increase his share of royalties.
According to a source close to the situation, Jones felt wronged by the Jacksons and was determined to seek retribution for what he perceived as their betrayal.
The insider said at the time: “Quincy believes the Jacksons cheated on him and he’s going to make them pay. He deserves better treatment from those ungrateful Jacksons!”
The source of the information emphasized Jones as the driving force behind Jackson’s exceptional talent, saying: “He turned Michael into a superstar. He produced ‘Thriller,’ ‘Off the Wall,’ and ‘ Bad’, sold millions of albums and made them both extremely wealthy.”
After the superstar’s untimely death in 2009, Jones made allegations that Jackson’s family renegotiated a more favorable profit-sharing deal with Sony Entertainment, putting him out of business.
Reports indicate that the Jackson family proposed a settlement of approximately $3 million to Jones, but the experienced record producer believes he is entitled to $30 million.
Jones argued that the master recordings he made were altered and remastered to avoid completing his just compensation.
After four years, Jones won his legal battle against the estate. After a trial in Los Angeles, the jury awarded him $9.42 million in damages, less than the original request of $30 million.
However, in 2020, a turning point came for the Jackson estate when an appeals court made a key ruling that the majority of the judgment awarded to Jones was not paid by the estate.
Keywords: Quincy Jones, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson