Quincy Jones

Composer / Producer


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Quincy Jones details his tumultuous early years and pinpoints the moment his life changed as he became interested in music. He talks about starting his music career as an arranger and discusses his quick rise in the music industry. He chronicles his television work, which includes composing music for such classics as Ironside, Roots, Sanford & Son, and The Cosby Show and producing such series as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and In the House. He also discusses producing the 1996 Academy Awards, making the music video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller," and producing "We Are the World." Jon Burlingame conducted the interview on November 14, 2002 in Bel Air, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"The role of music in television, or movies, serves two functions: it deals with tension and release. It has a magical ability to paint the psyche emotionally. We call it sometimes 'emotion lotion,' because it hits you. Nothing hits you harder than music."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Quincy Jones on composing the theme for Sanford & Son
04:05
Quincy Jones on MTV and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video
03:39
Quincy Jones on being an executive producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
06:12
On Rebop; on composing for the miniseries Roots; on the impact of Roots
Quincy Jones on his friendship with Oprah Winfrey
03:01
Quincy Jones on composing the theme and scoring for the sitcom Hey Landlord!
03:56
Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early years growing up in Chicago (and then Washington State); on his education; on the moment when he played a piano and became interested in music; on meeting Ray Charles; on his early musical work
On joining Lionel Hampton's band at 18; on touring in Europe and Asia; on meeting and working with such music professionals as Dizzy Gillespie, Johnny Mathis, and Lalo Schifrin; on working as an arranger; on moving to New York; on being signed to Mercury Records and becoming a company Vice President in 1964

Chapter 2

On first seeing television; on appearing on variety shows; on watching the filming of I Love Lucy; on composing for the feature film The Pawnbroker
On working in Los Angeles; on scoring his first Hollywood films
On composing for his first television series, the sitcom Hey Landlord!
On composing the theme and scoring Ironside; on the show's use of the Moog synthesizer
On composing for European Eye, The Pickle Brothers and The Bill Cosby Show

Chapter 3

On composing the theme and incidental music for The Bill Cosby Show; on the TV-movie Killer By Night; on composing the theme for Sanford & Son; on working on the animated show Big
On being musical director on The New Bill Cosby Show; on composing for NBC's Wednesday Mystery Movie; on producing Duke Ellington: We Love You Madly; on suffering two aneurysms in 1974

Chapter 4

On Rebop; on composing for the miniseries Roots; on the impact of Roots
On his friendship with Oprah Winfrey; on the advent of MTV; on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video and "We Are the World"; on producing The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Chapter 5

On appearing on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (which he produced); on the show's legacy; on producing In the House; on producing a series on the history of rock and roll; on producing shows, in general; on producing the 1996 Academy Awards
On Vibe; on the importance of music in television and film; on his advice to aspiring composers
Shows

Academy Awards, The

View Show Page
Quincy Jones on producing the 1996 Academy Awards
03:45

Bill Cosby Show, The

View Show Page
Quincy Jones on first working with Bill Cosby
01:01
Quincy Jones on composing the theme and incidental music for The Bill Cosby Show
05:21

Duke Ellington… We Love You Madly

View Show Page
Quincy Jones on producing Duke Ellington... We Love You Madly
04:37

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The

View Show Page
Quincy Jones on being an executive producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
06:12
Quincy Jones on appearing on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (which he produced); on the show's legacy
01:58

Hey Landlord!

View Show Page
Quincy Jones on composing the theme and scoring for the sitcom Hey Landlord!
03:56

In the House

View Show Page
Quincy Jones on producing In the House
03:29

Ironside

View Show Page
Quincy Jones on composing the theme and scoring Ironside; on the show's use of the Moog synthesizer
12:43

New Bill Cosby Show, The

View Show Page
Quincy Jones on working as musical director on The New Bill Cosby Show
05:36

Rebop

View Show Page
Quincy Jones on the PBS series Rebop
01:06

Roots

View Show Page
Quincy Jones on composing for Roots
10:41

Sanford and Son

View Show Page
Quincy Jones on composing the theme for Sanford & Son
04:05
Topics

Historic Events and Social Change

View Topic
Quincy Jones on first working on Holllywood films
03:05

Memorable Moments on Television

View Topic
Quincy Jones on MTV and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video
03:39

Pop Culture

View Topic
Quincy Jones on composing the theme for Sanford & Son
04:05
Quincy Jones on composing the theme and incidental music for The Bill Cosby Show
05:21

Representation on Television

View Topic
Quincy Jones on first working on Holllywood films
03:05
Quincy Jones on the impact of Roots
01:28

TV Theme Songs

View Topic
Quincy Jones on composing the theme and incidental music for The Bill Cosby Show
05:21
Quincy Jones on composing the theme for Sanford & Son
04:05

Underrepresented Voices

View Topic
Quincy Jones on first working on Holllywood films
03:05
Quincy Jones on the impact of Roots
01:28

We Considered

View Topic
Quincy Jones on the impact of Roots
01:28
Professions

Composer

View Profession
On composing for his first television series, the sitcom Hey Landlord!
03:56
On composing for European Eye, The Pickle Brothers and The Bill Cosby Show
01:48
Genres

Awards Shows

View Genre
Quincy Jones on producing the 1996 Academy Awards
03:45

Comedy Series

View Genre
Quincy Jones on working as musical director on The New Bill Cosby Show
05:36

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

View Genre
Quincy Jones on producing Duke Ellington... We Love You Madly
04:37
Quincy Jones on the impact of Roots
01:28
People

Bill Cosby

View Person Page
Quincy Jones on first working with Bill Cosby
01:01
Quincy Jones on composing the theme and incidental music for The Bill Cosby Show
05:22
Quincy Jones on working as musical director on The New Bill Cosby Show
05:36

Christopher Reeve

View Person Page
Quincy Jones on producing the 1996 Academy Awards
03:45

George Schlatter

View Interview Page
Quincy Jones on working as musical director on The New Bill Cosby Show
05:36

Michael Jackson

View Person Page
Quincy Jones on MTV and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video
03:39

Oprah Winfrey

View Person Page
Quincy Jones on his friendship with Oprah Winfrey
03:01

Redd Foxx

View Person Page
Quincy Jones on composing the theme for Sanford & Son
04:05

Will Smith

View Person Page
Quincy Jones on being an executive producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
06:12

All Interviews

S