Quincy Jones Dead: Why He Never Worked With Elvis and His Legal Battle With Jackson Family Revisited

Quincy Jones died at the age of 91, leaving behind not only a towering musical heritage but also some hidden truths that shed light on his genuine sentiments towards two of the music industry's most legendary figures: Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.

Jones made his opinions on Presley abundantly clear, even going to the extent of claiming that the singer was racist.

Before Jones' death, the music producer proudly declared that he had never collaborated with Presley after being informed by band leader Tommy Dorsey that the singer had racist tendencies.

Per Radar Online, Jonas said, "I was writing for Tommy Dorsey and Elvis came in. Tommy said, 'I don't want to play with him.' He was a racist motherf-----."

He went on, "But every time I saw Elvis, he was being coached by ['Don't Be Cruel' songwriter] Otis Blackwell, telling him how to sing."

Known for collaborating with music icons like Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Celine Dion, Jones boldly spoke out against the prevalence of racism within the music industry.

"I remember I would be at Universal [Studios] walking down the hall, and the guys would say, 'Here comes a s--------' in Yiddish. And I know what that means."

As Jones engaged in a fierce battle of wits with a figure in the music scene, The Jacksons, a revelation has resurfaced. He was entangled in a complex situation with the family, striving to reclaim $30 million allegedly misappropriated from him.

In 2013, allegations surfaced that the jazz musician had accused the Jackson family of reneging on a business agreement he had made with the late music icon, Michael Jackson, to boost his share of royalties.

According to a source close to the situation, Jones felt wronged by the Jacksons and was determined to seek retribution for what he perceived as their betrayal.

The insider said at the time, "Quincy believes the Jacksons cheated him, and he will make them pay. He deserves better treatment from those ungrateful Jacksons!"

The origin of the information emphasized Jones as the driving force behind Jackson's exceptional talents, stating, "He made Michael into a superstar. He produced 'Thriller,' 'Off the Wall,' and 'Bad,' which sold millions of albums and made them both incredibly rich."

After the untimely passing of the megastar in 2009, Jones made allegations that the Jackson estate had re-negotiated a more favorable profit-sharing agreement with Sony Entertainment, leaving him out of the loop.

Reports indicate that the Jackson estate proposed a settlement of around $3 million to Jones, but the experienced record producer believed he was entitled to $30 million.

Jones argued that the master recordings he had worked on were altered and reworked to evade fulfilling his rightful compensation.

After four years, Jones emerged triumphant in his legal battle against the estate. Following a trial in Los Angeles, a jury granted him $9.42 million in damages, falling short of his initial $30 million claim.

However, in 2020, a turning point arrived for the Jackson estate when an appellate court made a major decision ruling that most of the verdict awarded to Jones did not have to be paid by the estate.

Tags

Quincy Jones, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson