NNPA NEWSWIRE — Jones excelled as a musician and producer, working with greats like Count Basie, Elvis Presley, Charlie Parker, Charlie Mingus, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra to name a few. He scored many films and produced iconic films like The Wiz, The Italian Job, In Cold Blood, In the Heat of the Night, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial and The Color Purple. He also had a film and television production company, which famously produced The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, launching rapper Will Smith’s acting career.
