Emma Saunders
Culture reporter
BBC
Influential soul, jazz and funk producer and composer Roy Ayers has died at the age of 84.
In a statement posted on Facebook, his family said: “It is with great sadness that the family of legendary vibraphonist, composer, and producer Roy Ayers announce his passing which occurred on March 4 2025 in New York City after a long illness.”
They described him as “highly influential and sought after as a music collaborator.”
Ayers’ own biggest hit was the mellow track Everybody Loves the Sunshine, which was covered by artists like d’Angelo and sampled by others including Mary J Blige and Tyler, the Creator.
But he was so much more than his best-known record. A pioneer of nu-soul and jazz funk, he was a key figure in the 90s acid jazz movement.
Happy and Blurred Lines singer Pharrell Williams has described him as one of his greatest musical inspirations.
Ayers had a huge influence on many RnB and hip-hop stars, particularly in the 90s, with artists like Tribe Called Quest, Mary J Blige and Jill Scott sampling his earlier work on tracks like Bonita Applebaum, My Life and Watching Me.
He also worked with Guru and The Roots. Erykah Badu called him “the king of neo soul”.
More recently, Calvin Harris told BBC Radio 2 that Ayers “just stood out, his music is amazing and just so intricate… everything just sounds so rich and warm”.
Ayers performed at Glastonbury several times; his last performance there was in 2019.
He also wrote and produced the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film Coffy starring Pam Grier.
Ayers could play several instruments, including the flute and trumpet but he became synonymous with the vibraphone, a percussion instrument that looks similar to a xylophone but has a set of metal bars rather than wood.
His other hits include Running Away and Searchin’, with his band Roy Ayers Ubiquity, who were also behind Everybody Loves the Sunshine.
Musical family
Roy Edward Ayers Jr was born into a musical family in Los Angeles on 10 September 1940.
His mum Ruby was a school teacher and piano teacher, while his dad, Roy Sr, was a parking attendant and trombonist.
Ayers began playing the piano at the age of five and went on to play several instruments and sing in the church choir before plumping for the vibraphone.
Jazz star Lionel Hampton may have had something to do with that. Ayers attended a Lionel Hampton Big Band concert when he was just five. Quite taken by Ayers’s enthusiasm and delight at the performance, Hampton gifted the youngster a pair of vibe mallets.
Ayers formed his first group while at Jefferson High School, aptly named the Jefferson Combo, and later studied advanced music theory at college.
He became a professional musician in 1961.
He went on to record three albums with jazz flautist Herbie Mann before forming Roy Ayers Ubiquity and landing the hit Everybody Loves the Sunshine in 1976, from the album of the same name.
His last solo album, Mahogany Vibes, featuring Badu, came out in 2004.
Ayers is survived by his wife Argerie, and their children Mtume and Ayana Ayers.
The Facebook post on Ayers’s page added: “His family ask that you respect their privacy at this time, a celebration of Roy’s life will be forthcoming.”
