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Renowned jazz vibraphonist, composer, and pioneer of jazz-funk, Roy Ayers, has died at the age of 84. His family confirmed his passing on March 4, 2025, in New York City following a long illness. "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," read the statement on his official Facebook page.
Born on September 10, 1940, in Los Angeles, Ayers was immersed in music from an early age. His mother was a schoolteacher and piano instructor, while his father played the trombone. A pivotal moment in his childhood came when jazz legend Lionel Hampton handed him a pair of mallets at the age of five. "At the time, my mother and father told me he laid some spiritual vibes on me," Ayers recalled in a 2011 interview.
Ayers launched his music career in the 1960s with the album West Coast Vibes (1963). However, he gained widespread recognition in the 1970s after forming Roy Ayers Ubiquity, a band that fused jazz, funk, and R&B. One of his most iconic works, the 1976 album Everybody Loves the Sunshine, became a defining piece of jazz-funk. The title track, still widely recognized today, has been sampled over 100 times by artists such as Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, and The-Dream. "It was so spontaneous. It felt wonderful," he told The Guardian in 2017.
Ayers' influence extended into hip-hop and neo-soul, earning him the title "godfather of neo-soul." He worked with industry greats such as Erykah Badu, The Roots, Tyler, The Creator, and Alicia Keys. Badu once called him "the king of neo-soul," crediting him with inspiring the genre. In a 2013 interview with The Washington Post, Ayers described neo-soul as "a sound that encompasses all these different sounds."
He also composed the soundtrack for the 1973 blaxploitation film Coffy, starring Pam Grier, further solidifying his cultural impact. Over the years, his music was sampled by Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Common, and A Tribe Called Quest.
Though he remained active in his later years, Ayers canceled his 2023 farewell tour due to health complications following a battle with COVID-19. "Once I have had proper time to heal and move past this, I will be looking to get back to work," he assured fans.
Roy Ayers leaves behind his wife, Argerie, and their two children, Ayana and Mtume.
