Roy Ayers, dies at 84
Roy Ayers, the vibraphonist, composer, and jazz-funk pioneer behind Everybody Loves the Sunshine, has died at the age of 84. He passed away on Tuesday in New York City after a long illness, according to a statement on his Facebook page.
Born in Los Angeles on September 10, 1940, Ayers grew up in a musical family. At just five years old, he had a life-changing moment when vibraphonist Lionel Hampton handed him his first pair of mallets at a concert. His parents believed Hampton had passed on “spiritual vibes” to their son.
Ayers began his career in the 1960s hard-bop jazz scene of Los Angeles, but he found his signature sound in the 1970s with Ubiquity. The album’s title became the name of his band, which blended funk grooves, soulful horns, and jazz improvisation to create a unique, streetwise sound. His work during this era, including He’s Coming (1971) and Red, Black & Green (1973), helped define the jazz-funk movement.
In 1973, Ayers composed the soundtrack for Coffy, a blaxploitation film starring Pam Grier. His music perfectly captured the gritty, soulful essence of the era, further cementing his influence in jazz, funk, and film scoring.
However, it was the 1976 release of Everybody Loves the Sunshine that became his defining work. The title track, an ode to summer, became a funk and soul staple, sampled over 100 times in hip-hop and R&B.
“The song was so spontaneous. It felt wonderful,” Ayers told The Guardian in 2017. He envisioned a blend of vibraphone, piano, synthesizer, congas, and drums, creating a dreamy, nostalgic sound that resonated across generations.
His influence exploded in the hip-hop era, with artists like Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, and The-Dream incorporating his music into their own. “It’s wonderful, the desire young people express for my music,” Ayers said in 2016. “I’m still growing in popularity.”
Beyond sampling, he directly collaborated with R&B and hip-hop artists such as Alicia Keys, The Roots, Guru of Gang Starr, and Tyler, The Creator. His signature vibraphone sound was a subtle yet essential element in modern music.
One of his standout collaborations was with Erykah Badu on her 2000 album Mama’s Gun. His vibraphone on “Cleva” added a delicate, expressive touch, perfectly complementing Badu’s tribute to natural beauty. She even credited Ayers as the king of neo-soul.
Across five decades, Ayers’ influence spanned jazz, funk, R&B, and hip-hop. He worked with legends like Fela Kuti and Rick James while his sound lived on through samples in A Tribe Called Quest and Pharrell Williams’ music. Pianist Robert Glasper summed up his legacy best: “It just has a Roy Ayers sound. There’s nothing you can describe. It’s just Roy Ayers.
