Jazz Legend Roy Ayers Passes Away at 84: A Heartfelt Tribute to His Impact

Jazz-funk pioneer Roy Ayers passed away in New York City on Tuesday after a long illness.

On his official Facebook page, it was shared with great sadness that the esteemed vibraphone player lived for 84 beautiful years and will be deeply missed. At this difficult moment, his family requests privacy; details about a tribute to honor Roy’s life will be announced later.

In 1976, Roy Ayers and his band, Ubiquity, achieved their greatest success with the song “Everybody Loves the Sunshine.” This track climbed to position 51 on the Billboard 200 music charts.

2016 saw Pitchfork place the track among the 200 greatest songs from the 1970s, stating, “It didn’t shy away, yet it was agile enough to do so if needed.

A prolific musician, Ayers has dropped more than 40 studio albums and worked alongside a variety of talented artists such as Tyler the Creator, Erykah Badu, the Roots, Fela Kuti, Herbie Hancock, and Rick James in numerous collaborative projects.

Born in Los Angeles, his music significantly influenced the hip-hop scene, with notable artists such as Kendrick Lamar (on Good Kid, M.A.A.D City in 2012), Mary J. Blige (My Life in 1994), A Tribe Called Quest (Bonita Applebum in 1990), and Junior M.A.F.I.A. (Get Money in 1995) using his beats or samples in their own songs.

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2025-03-06 07:18