Quincy Jones: "Its A Blessing To Have Worked With Every Major Artist Of The 20th Century"

Speaking on-stage with Ludacris as part of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' annual 'I Create Music' expo in Hollywood, Quincy called his children and grandchildren "the pride of my life now".


Seeing them successful is "my Nobel Prize," he added.


The 77-year-old composer and producer says it's been "a blessing" to have worked with "every major artist of the 20th century," including Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson, but his No 1 job is "being a good parent".

"The other things, you know, that's a gift from God and I cherish it," he said. "I don't take it for granted."


Ludacris asked Quincy about everything from music to marriage to money. The music veteran said music saved him from a "gangster" lifestyle in his native Chicago. He learned all the brass instruments with the aim of mastering the trumpet. "As soon as I started playing, I started hearing other instruments in my head," he said.

He told the crowd of more than 2,500 to travel the world and "get a big dream, so if you get halfway there, you're still OK" and advised aspiring musicians to understand the science of music and to have "humility with your creativity and grace with your success".