The music community is mourning a true pioneer. Roy Ayers, the great jazz-funk vibraphonist known widely as the "Godfather of Neo-Soul," died in New York City on March 4, 2025. He was 84. A post released on his official Facebook page said Ayers had long been suffering from an illness before his death.
Born in Los Angeles in 1940, Ayers appeared to be fated to a life in music. Checking references, I found that at only five years old, jazz legend Lionel Hampton had sent him a pair of vibraphone mallets, a little gift that ended up being enormous. From then on, Ayers developed a sound that would be timeless, blending jazz, funk, and soul into something uniquely his.
His six-decade-long career started with the release of his debut solo album, "West Coast Vibes," in 1963. By the early 1970s, he had assembled his trailblazing band, Roy Ayers Ubiquity, which lent a deeply groovy, soulful sound to jazz-funk and helped redefine the genre. Then came his 1976 classic, "Everybody Loves the Sunshine," a song that has since become an anthem, straddling both genre and generation.
In a 2017 interview with The Guardian reflecting on the song's genesis, Ayers explained that it appeared to him ever-so-slightly inspired while recording in Jimi Hendrix's New York studio. "It was a beautiful, hot, sunny day, and I just had this phrase going around in my head: 'Everybody loves the sunshine,' he said. "It was a game changer for me." It was still like the last song of my show. Everyone always joins in, and it's been sampled over 100 times, from Dr. Dre to Pharrell Williams. L'Heure Bleue appears to snatch up each generation. Everyone loves the sunshine except Dracula."
Ayers' influence runs deep beyond jazz, informing R&B, hip-hop, and neo-soul decades on. His sound provided a blueprint for the acid jazz movement and has been sampled by some of hip-hop's greatest artists, like Brand Nubian, 2Pac, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar. His grooves and melodies became a bridge between eras, inspiring a new generation of artists to each push so-called boundaries of their own.
In the wake of news of his death, tributes flowed in from fellow musicians and admirers. The celebrated producer 9th Wonder described Ayers as "one of the most important architects of modern music," DJ Jazzy Jeff honored him as "a giant whose vibrations will never fade."
Ayers' family also shared a statement on social media: "It is with great sadness the family of legendary vibraphonist Roy Ayers announces his passing on March 4, 2025, in New York City. He had a beautiful 84 years and will be sorely missed. A memorial service for Roy will be held shortly."
Rest in power to Roy Ayers, whose music will outlive him, continuing to uplift and inspire future generations. For records he made, he won with the ripples he created in the hearts of the music lover. Rest in power, Roy Ayers.
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