Roy Ayers, the legendary vibraphonist and musician behind 1976’s album “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” has died. He was 84.
The musical artist’s family shared the news on Ayers’ Facebook on March 5, expressing their “great sadness.”
“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 their 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.”
He shared how when he was 5-years-old he received his first set of mallets from vibraphonist and percussionist Lionel Hampton while at the Paramount Theater.
“At the time, my mother and father told me he laid some spiritual vibes on me,” Ayers said at the time, adding that later he picked up the vibraphones at age 17.
“It’s funny, I started playing vibes when I was 17 and I still love it. The only difference now is that I’ve turned the 17 around to 71,” Ayers told the outlet.
With a career spanning over six decades, Ayers released his first album “West Coast Vibes” in 1963, followed by records like “Virgo Vibes” (1967) and “Stoned Soul Picnic” (1968), among dozen others.
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 like Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu, The Roots Mary J. Blige and Tyler, The Creator, among many others.
