Roy Ayers, the jazz-funk pioneer and “Godfather of Neo Soul,” leaves behind a timeless musical legacy that continues to encourage generations.
Roy Ayers, the legendary jazz vibraphonist and revered “Godfather of Neo Soul,” handed away on Tuesday (March 4), in New York Metropolis on the age of 84 after a protracted sickness.
Born in Los Angeles in 1940, Ayers was launched to the vibraphone at simply 5 years previous when jazz nice Lionel Hampton gifted him a pair of mallets. His profession spanned over six many years, starting together with his debut solo album, West Coast Vibes, in 1963.
Within the early Nineteen Seventies, Ayers fashioned his band, Roy Ayers Ubiquity, pioneering a fusion of jazz, funk, and soul. His 1976 basic, “Everyone Loves the Sunshine,” turned one in every of his most iconic tracks, later sampled by Hip-Hop icons equivalent to Model Nubian, Dr. Dre, Pete Rock, J. Cole, and Tupac Shakur.
Reflecting on the tune’s creation, the vibraphonist recalled the inspiration hanging him spontaneously whereas recording at Jimi Hendrix’s New York studio.
“It was a phenomenal, scorching, sunny day and I simply received this phrase in my head: ‘Everyone loves the sunshine,’” Ayers informed The Guardian in 2017. “The tune modified all the things for me. It’s nonetheless the final tune of my present. Individuals at all times take part and it’s been sampled over 100 occasions, by everybody from Dr Dre to Pharrell Williams. It appears to seize each technology. Everyone loves the sunshine – besides Dracula.”
Ayers performed a pivotal position in shaping the acid jazz and neo-soul actions and influenced generations of artists throughout jazz, R&B, and Hip-Hop. His music continues to resonate, with samples showing within the works of Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and numerous others.
Roy Ayers’ household issued an announcement asserting his passing on social media and confirming an occasion to rejoice his life.
“It’s with nice unhappiness the household of legendary vibraphonist Roy Ayers announce his passing on March 4th, 2025 in New York Metropolis,” the assertion reads. “He lived a phenomenal 84 years and will likely be sorely missed. A celebration of Roy’s life will likely be forthcoming.”
Following the announcement of his passing, musicians from throughout genres paid tribute to Roy Ayers’ enduring legacy.
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