Roy Ayers, the pioneering jazz-funk composer and producer best known for his timeless hit “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” has passed away at the age of 84. His family announced his passing, which occurred on March 4, 2025, in New York City after a long illness.
A statement from his family read: “He lived a beautiful 84 years and will be sorely missed. His family ask that you respect their privacy at this time. A celebration of Roy’s life will be forthcoming.” Roy Ayers was born in Los Angeles on September 10, 1940. His parents taught him music when he was young; his mother was a musician and his father played the trombone.
The famous Lionel Hampton gave him a vibraphone when he was a child. This set him on the way to becoming one of the most important jazz-funk singers of his time. In the early 1960s, Ayers’s business really took off. He started making records as a bebop sideman in 1962, and his first album, West Coast Vibes, came out in 1963.
The record showed off his amazing vibraphon skills and paved the way for a string of great solo projects. Roy Ayers quickly became famous for his unique mix of jazz and funk, which would later become a key part of the neo-soul movement. At the end of the 1960s, Ayers worked with jazz flautist Herbie Mann on three Atlantic Records albums: Virgo Vibes (1967), Stoned Soul Picnic (1968), and Daddy Bug (1968).
These partnerships brought him to the attention of more people and solidified his image as an artist who can do a lot of different things and is always thinking ahead. He started the band Ubiquity in the early 1970s and made a sound that mixed jazz, rock, and R&B with them.
His record Everybody Loves the Sunshine, which came out in 1976, was a turning point in his career, and the title track became a famous hit. A lot of hip-hop and R&B artists, like Mary J. Blige, Common, and Tupac Shakur, sampled this song because of its warm, hypnotic beat and deep words. Roy Ayers also tried his hand at film scoring. He wrote the music for Pam Grier’s 1973 Blaxploitation hit Coffy.
He made even more of a name for himself as a creative artist by working in movies. Ayers was a very productive artist throughout his career. He put out more than 30 records and worked with many singers, such as Fela Kuti, Erykah Badu, and Guru from Gang Starr.
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Many new artists were inspired by him to mix jazz and modern sounds, which had a big impact on the neo-soul genre. Even when he was older, Ayers kept playing and recording music. His signature vibraphone tunes and catchy rhythms captivated crowds all over the world.
His influence on the music business will last for many years to come. While everyone is sad about Roy Ayers’ death, it can’t be denied that he was a pioneer of jazz-funk and a link between different types of music. His songs will continue to encourage and inspire people, making sure that everyone really does love the sun.