Roy Ayers, the mythical jazz vibraphonist recognized for his hit “Everyone Loves the Sunshine” and sampled by means of numerous artists, died on the age of 84.
In a commentary shared with Selection, the Ayers circle of relatives stated that he died the day before today after affected by an extended sickness. “It’s with nice disappointment that the circle of relatives of mythical vibraphonist, composer, and manufacturer Roy Ayers announce his passing which passed off on March 4, 2025 in New York Town after an extended sickness,” they stated, describing him as “extremely influential and wanted as a song collaborator.”
All through his profession, Ayers established himself as a pioneer of jazz-funk and used to be in large part influential at the neo-soul motion. As a solo artist, he launched dozens of albums over time, relationship way back to 1963, and scored his greatest hit “Everyone Loves the Sunshine” along with his staff Roy Ayers Ubiquity. The musician’s songs were sampled by means of everybody from Mary J. Blige and Not unusual to Tyler, the Writer and Kanye West, and he collaborated with musicians together with the Roots, Guru, Fela Kuti and Rick James.
Ayers used to be born in Los Angeles in 1940 and grew up in a musical family. He used to be impressed to take in the vibraphone after seeing Lionel Hampton’s Giant Band on the age of 5, and took piano classes and sang within the church choir. At 17, he used to be proficient his first vibraphone and attended Los Angeles Town School to check complex song idea. He made his recording debut with saxophonist Curtis Amy within the early Sixties, and signed his first contract with United Artists to free up his debut album “West Coast Vibes” in 1963.
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He teamed with jazz flutist Herbie Mann to report 3 albums for Atlantic Information — “Virgo Vibes,” “Stoned Soul Picnic” and “Daddy Trojan horse” — earlier than partnering with Polydor, the place he endured to free up song. In 1973, he wrote and produced the soundtrack for the blaxploitation movie “Coffy” starring Pam Grier. Right through this period, he shaped Roy Ayers Ubiquity and scored his greatest hit with “Everyone Loves the Sunshine,” the identify observe from their 1976 album. So far, that track has greater than 130 million Spotify streams, and has been lined by means of a variety of artists together with D’Angelo, Jamie Cullum and Robert Glasper.
Within the a long time that adopted, he launched information and shaped two labels, Uno Melodic and Gold Mink Information. His ultimate solo album “Mahogany Vibe,” got here out in 2004, and featured visitor appearances from Betty Wright, Kamilah and Erykah Badu. In 2015, he made a visitor look on Tyler, the Writer’s observe “To find Your Wings” and two years later carried out on the rapper’s Camp Flog Gnaw competition. He teamed with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad for “Roy Ayers JID002,” a collaborative album launched via Jazz Is Useless in 2020.
A part of his enduring legacy can also be credited to the numerous affect he had on hip-hop and R&B musicians. His solo songs and information he produced had been sampled for many years, including a heat, mellifluous tone to tracks together with Mary J. Blige’s “My Lifestyles,” A Tribe Referred to as Quest’s “Bonita Applebaum” and Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s “Get Cash.”
Ayers is survived by means of his spouse Argerie, and their youngsters Mtume and Ayana Ayers.
