Quincy Jones died on Nov. 3 at the age of 91 after 70-plus years as one of the world’s greatest and most celebrated music producers and composers. However, his life was almost cut short on at least two separate occasions.
Jones narrowly escaped being murdered by Charles Manson’s cult, and then he would later go on to survive a near-fatal brain aneurysm.
The first incident took place on the evening of Aug. 9, 1969, when Manson’s cult, acting on his direction and Tex Watson’s, committed a series of murders, including that of the actress and model Sharon Tate. According to Jones, he was supposed to be at Tate’s house that same evening, but had simply forgotten about the invitation, the Guardian reported.
Other interviews that have resurfaced in the aftermath of his death included his discussion of surviving a traumatic brain aneurysm.
In a March 1974 interview with People magazine, Jones recalled the medical event and subsequent lengthy healing journey that involved multiple surgeries.
As Jones recounted, he had collapsed at home after feeling extremely intense pain in his head.
“I felt as if the back of my head had been taken off with a shotgun blast,” he described.
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Doctors found that two blood vessels in Jones’ brain had ruptured, causing a near-fatal aneurysm. Brain surgeons operated and discovered a second aneurysm. The music legend was warned of the likelihood that he could be left with permanent paralysis if he survived.
“If you don’t want to live, it’s so easy to go,” Jones told the publication. “But all I could think was, ‘God, I’m not ready yet.’”
His second surgery to repair the second aneurysm lasted seven-and-a-half hours.
“The doctor told me that they sawed off my skull and put it on the table, then they put it back on with six metal clips,” the “Thriller” producer said.
Speaking more about the health scare in a 2018 interview with GQ magazine, Jones admitted he complicated his recovery by ignoring his doctors’ orders.
Following his second surgery, what’s known as a “brain aneurysm” clip was placed on a blood vessel in Jones’ brain. He had explicit instructions not to play his trumpet while recovering or else the clip could pop off, leading to another, undoubtedly fatal aneurysm. Jones did not heed the warning and instead attempted to give the instrument a shot while on tour in Japan. The stunt led to pain in his head.
“I couldn’t get away with it, man,” he said.
Clearly, Jones ended up making a full recovery. However, according to People magazine, he dealt with memory lapses in the aftermath.
As previously reported by theGrio, the renowned music industry icon died on Sunday at home surrounded by his family. In the days following his death, tributes by many of the celebrities and musicians who knew or worked with him have been pouring in.
“He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created,” his family said in a statement. “Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity.”
