Quincy Jones: What Makes a Legend?

Quincy Jones: What Makes a Legend?

March 14 was the 79th birthday of legendary producer and composer Quincy Jones. In his decades-spanning career, Jones has been the driving force behind some of the most memorable music of the 20th century. He produced the iconic Michael Jackson album “Thriller,”  scored seven Academy Award nominations, 27 Grammy award wins, a Kennedy Center Honor and countless other kudos.

Jones shaped music as we know it today, and the original Eberhard-Faber Blackwing 602 was present in the early stages of his career. “Suite to the Four Winds,” regarded as Jones’ first serious music composition, was begun when Jones was sixteen as a way to escape the grim reality around him in his rough Seattle neighborhood.

In his autobiography, “Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones,” the composer describes wandering from high school music rooms to dive bars, finding any place with a piano so that he could work on “Suite for the Four Winds.” He describes the process of wandering and writing, saying:

“That piece was the most valuable thing I owned. I carried it around every day with me like money, scrawling on it, fixing it, changing it, carrying it under my sweater with a Blackwing No. 2 pencil in my pocket to make continual fixes.”

For Jones, music was a way to find a sense of calm and inner peace. When the world around him grew too menacing, he withdrew into his music, one pencil-scratched note at a time. Jones is by no means the only artist who has found solace in their creations, but Jones’ creations have brought relief not just to himself, but to those around him.

As the producer of the iconic single “We Are the World,” Jones orchestrated an event that brought international attention and relief to famine in Africa. A 25th anniversary edition of the song, recorded for earthquake relief in Haiti, again brought aid and relief to those who were in peril.

Being a Blackwing legend isn’t just about using a pencil to create a piece of art; it’s about using that pencil to create a broader connection with the world around you. If you look at a list of those who are Blackwing legends, you’ll find that their works go beyond mere aesthetic or critical value; they touch our inner sense of humanity in a powerful, enduring way.

We are always asking, “Who will be the next generation of Blackwing Legends?” At Studio 602, we know that the next crop of Legends are out there, putting pencil to paper, sharing their talents and giving a piece of themselves to make the world a better, stronger, more vibrant place.

Jones once said, “Imagine what a harmonious world it could be if every single person, both young and old, shared a little of what he is good at doing.” We charge you and the next generation of Blackwing Legends, to do just that.

Photo: Medill D.C./EveryStockPhoto