Roy Ayers was inspired to pick up the vibraphone as a teen by jazz legend Lionel Hampton. His decision to recreate the sound he heard as a 17-year-old music lover changed music forever.
Ayers, a songwriter, producer and vibraphonist passed away on March 4, 2025. He was 84.
He began as a post-bop jazz artist in the early 1960s. His music was a testament to the genre’s ability to shape shift and influence generations to come.
Ayers’ biggest hit, “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” was a smooth blend of soul, funk, R&B and jazz that served as sampling standard for R&B and hip hop.
A Tribe Called Quest, Mary J. Blige, Common to Tyler, the Creator and Kanye West are just a few of the artists who used his work as the foundation for their own hits.
Thanks to his gift for musical fusion, Ayers was a founding father of the neo-soul movement that came a generation after he became a musical mainstay.
He collaborated with musicians such as the Roots, Fela Kuti, Rick James and Erykah Badu.
Ayers was also who founded the labels Uno Melodic and Gold Inc. Records.
His final solo album, entitled “Mahogany Vibe,” was released in 2004.
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