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Tributes have poured in for legendary musician and producer Quincy Jones, who has died aged 91.

“Arguably the most versatile pop cultural figure of the 20th century,” said The guardianJones produced Michael Jackson’s landmark albums “Off the Wall,” “Thriller” and “Bad” as well as music by Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Donna Summer, among others.

Over a career spanning more than 75 years, he won 28 Grammy Awards and was named one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century by Time magazine, but his cultural imprint extends far beyond beyond music.

Here are five facts you might not know about the legendary musician:

He narrowly escaped the Manson family murders

Jones narrowly avoided being killed by The cult of Charles Manson in 1969, after planning to attend a dinner at Sharon Tate’s house the night of the murders, only to forget it at the last minute. “It’s just amazing, man,” Jones said GQ in 2018 from his near accident. “Life is a journey.”

Even more remarkably, he had almost bought the house on Cielo Drive where “the most infamous murder scene of the decade” took place, said The New Zealand Herald. Ultimately, the owner was only willing to rent it out, eventually leasing it to Tate and her husband Roman Polanski.

“Fly Me to the Moon” played on the Moon

Jones first worked with Frank Sinatra in 1958 when he was hired to lead the legendary singer’s band by none other than actress-turned-Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly. Jones and Sinatra would collaborate on and off for the next three decades and it was his arrangement of “Fly Me to the Moon” – which he changed from a waltz to a swing rhythm – that was chosen by Buzz Aldrin for play during the first moon. landing.

He said The New York Times in 1990, he “freaked out” when he first heard about it, although there is ongoing debate over whether Aldrin’s story is actually true.

He helped introduce Oprah to the world

Jones began working on films in the 1960s, eventually producing more than 50 over the course of his life, including “In the Heat of the Night” and “The Color Purple,” the latter of which introduced audiences to two “stars” then unknown”: Oprah Winfrey. and Whoopi Goldberg, said the BBC.

In 1990, he founded the film and television company Quincy Jones Entertainment, which went on to produce “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, launching Will Smith’s acting career.

He had 19 cell phones

It is perhaps a sign of his influence that his security guard had 19 cell phones with him, News from the sky reported.

He expressed strong opinions about some of the people he worked with over the years – he called Elvis a racist and said the Beatles were “the worst musicians in the world” and yet “celebrities wanted him have their number,” the channel said. “His musical approval mattered.”

He shared a birthday with Michael Caine

Among the tributes to Jones was that of actor Michael Caine, born on the same day: March 14, 1933. “My celestial twin Quincy was a titan in the musical world,” Caine wrote. “He was a wonderful and unique human being” and I was “lucky to have known him.”

The two shared much more than just a birthday. Jones directed “The Italian Job,” one of the films that made Caine an international movie star.