Roy Ayers, the legendary vibraphonist and musician behind 1976’s album “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” has died. He was 84. His family members shared the news on Ayers’ social media on March 5.
“It is with great sadness that the family of legendary vibraphonist, composer and producer Roy Ayers announce his passing which occurred on March 4th, 2025 in New York City after a long illness,” the statement reads. “He lived a beautiful 84 years and will be sorely missed.”
The statement noted that his family asks that people respect its privacy at this time. “A celebration of Roy’s life will be forthcoming,” the message concluded.
Born in Los Angeles in September 1940, Ayers grew up around a musical background and loved music from a young age. “If I didn’t have music I wouldn’t even want to be here,” Ayers told the Los Angeles Times in 2011. “It’s like an escape when there is no escape. An escape for temporary moments.”
Ayers became known as a pioneer in jazz-funk, with a slew of musicians sampling his music. He would go on to collaborate with R&B and hip-hop artists such as Gang Starr’s Guru, Tyler, The Creator, Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu, The Roots Mary J. Blige and Tyler, The Creator, among many others. Countless artists sampled his music including A Tribe Called Quest, Pharrell Williams, Dr Dre and more.
With a career spanning more than six decades, Ayers released his first album, “West Coast Vibes,” in 1963, followed by records such as “Virgo Vibes” (1967) and “Stoned Soul Picnic” (1968), among dozen others.
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Tributes:
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RIP Roy Ayers ❤️🕊️ https://t.co/pk9vB0vhwM
— Mary J. Blige (@maryjblige) March 6, 2025
Rest in POWER to ROY AYERS! Some of the flyest compositions ever put together came from that man.
— planetasia (@planetasia) March 6, 2025
R.I.P. GURU and ROY AYERS.
🫡👑’s 🙏🏾🤍🕊️ pic.twitter.com/d0KeeGmPMi— Gang Starr ‘One of the Best Yet’ Out Now (@gangstarr) March 6, 2025
RIP KING 🙏🏾👑 #RoyAyers Iconic vibraphonist, composer and producer has passed at 84.
✨This pic is from happier times with the legend @MrChuckD in the hotel lobby after PE co-headlined @mostly_jazz festival Birmingham,UK alongside Roy and his bad ass band.
Rest in Beats… pic.twitter.com/80c2scEeAW
— DjLORD (@DjLORDofficial) March 6, 2025
R.I.P. To 2 ICONS.
GURU and The Great Roy Ayers who appeard on GURU’s JAZZMATAZZ Vol. 1
Thanks for the inspiration of soul music you’ve brought us.
🫡👑🤍🙏🏾🕊️ pic.twitter.com/hgqA25uQuj— Gang Starr ‘One of the Best Yet’ Out Now (@gangstarr) March 6, 2025
Roy Ayer’s passed away today one of my biggest inspirations and forever will be.. I had action to go see him perform in 22/23 and didn’t go I promise I’m not missing any more opportunities like that again.. life is way 2 short… long live the legend “Roy Ayers”
— G Perico (@BGPerico) March 6, 2025
