Roy Ayers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roy Ayers
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Ayers in 1976
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Roy Edward Ayers Jr. |
| Born | September 10, 1940 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | March 4, 2025 (aged 84) New York City, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1962–2023 |
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Roy Edward Ayers Jr. (born September 10, 1940 – died March 4, 2025) was a famous American musician. He played the vibraphone, produced music, and wrote songs.
Ayers started his career playing post-bop jazz. He released many albums with Atlantic Records. In the 1970s, he moved to Polydor Records. There, he helped create a new style called jazz-funk.
He was also very important in the acid jazz music movement. Some people even called him "The Godfather of Neo Soul". Roy Ayers is well-known for his songs like "Everybody Loves the Sunshine", "Lifeline", and "No Stranger to Love". Many of his songs were popular in the 1970s. His music was also often used by rappers in their own songs.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
Roy Edward Ayers Jr. was born in Los Angeles, California, on September 10, 1940. He grew up in a family that loved music. His father played the trombone, and his mother played the piano.
When he was just five years old, he got his first vibraphone mallets. These were a gift from the famous musician Lionel Hampton. Roy grew up in an area of Los Angeles called South Park. This area was a big center for Black music at the time.
He went to Thomas Jefferson High School. This school was part of the lively Central Avenue jazz scene. In high school, Roy sang in the church choir. He also led a band called the Latin Lyrics. In this band, he played the steel guitar and piano. Many talented musicians, like Dexter Gordon, also went to his high school.
Music Career Highlights
Starting Out in the 1960s
Roy Ayers began recording music in 1962. He played as a sideman, which means he played with other main musicians. In 1963, he released his first album, West Coast Vibes. He worked with saxophonist Curtis Amy on this album.
He became more famous after leaving Los Angeles City College. In 1966, he joined the jazz flutist Herbie Mann's band.
Roy Ayers Ubiquity and New Sounds
In the early 1970s, Roy Ayers started his own band. He called it Roy Ayers Ubiquity. He chose this name because "ubiquity" means being everywhere at the same time.
Ayers created the music for the 1973 film Coffy. This movie starred Pam Grier. He also acted in the film Idaho Transfer that same year. Later, his music changed from jazz-funk to R&B. You can hear this change on his album Mystic Voyage (1975). This album included songs like "Evolution" and the popular disco song "Brother Green (The Disco King)". It also had the title song from his 1976 album, Everybody Loves the Sunshine.
In 1977, Ayers produced an album for the group RAMP. It was called Come into Knowledge. That fall, his song "Running Away" became his biggest hit.
In 1979, Ayers had his only top ten song on the Billboard Hot Disco/Dance chart. This song was "Don't Stop the Feeling". It was also the first song from his 1980 album, No Stranger to Love. The title song from this album was later used in Jill Scott's 2000 song "Watching Me".
Touring and Collaborations
In the late 1970s, Ayers toured Nigeria for six weeks. He performed with Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti. Fela Kuti is one of Africa's most famous musicians. In 1980, an album called Music of Many Colors was released in Nigeria. One side featured Ayers' group, and the other side featured Fela Kuti's band, Africa '70.
In 1981, Ayers produced an album for singer Sylvia Striplin. It was called Give Me Your Love. That same year, he released his own album, Africa, Center of the World. He worked with James Bedford and his bassist William Henry Allen on this album.
In 1984, he released the album In the Dark. This album was produced by bassist Stanley Clarke. It included the song "Love Is in the Feel". This song, and others on the album, used the LinnDrum. This instrument was very popular with pop and jazz-funk musicians. At this time, the UK BBC Radio 1 DJ Robbie Vincent played Ayers' music a lot.
Ayers played a solo on Whitney Houston's song "Love Will Save the Day". This song was from her second album, Whitney. The single was released in July 1988.
Roy Ayers has performed live for millions of people around the world. He has played in Japan, Australia, England, and other parts of Europe.
Ayers is known for making "feel-good" music in the 1970s. He said he liked to have a happy feeling all the time. This happy feeling is always present in his music. He created music in many styles, including funk, salsa, jazz, rock, soul, and hip-hop.
Later Years and Influence
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In 1992, Ayers released two albums, Drive and Wake Up. He also worked with Rick James on his album Throwin' Down. Ayers and Rick James were very close friends.
In 1993, Ayers played vibraphone on the song "Take a Look (At Yourself)" for the album Guru's Jazzmatazz Vol. 1. The next year, he appeared on the album Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. This album helped raise awareness and money for the AIDS epidemic. Time magazine called it "Album of the Year".
In the 2000s and 2010s, Ayers started making house music. He worked with famous house music artists like Masters at Work and Kerri Chandler.
Ayers started two record labels: Uno Melodic and Gold Mink Records. Uno Melodic released several albums, including Sylvia Striplin's. Gold Mink Records released only a few songs before closing.
In 2004, Ayers released a collection of unreleased songs. It was called Virgin Ubiquity: Unreleased recordings 1976–1981. This allowed fans to hear songs that were not on his popular Polydor albums.
He also worked with soul singer Erykah Badu and other artists on his 2004 album Mahogany Vibes.
Ayers was the voice of the fake radio station "Fusion FM" in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV (2008).
In 2015, he played vibraphone on Tyler, the Creator's album Cherry Bomb. He continued to perform live until 2023.
Personal Life
Roy Ayers married his wife Argerie in the early 1970s. They had three children together. He also had a son named Nabil Ayers from an earlier relationship. His daughter Ayana managed his career in his later years.
Roy Ayers passed away in a hospital in Manhattan, New York, on March 4, 2025. He was 84 years old and had been ill for a long time.
Awards and Influence
A documentary film about Roy Ayers is being made. It is called "Roy Ayers Connection". This film will show Ayers and all the people and things he was connected to through his music.
The famous musician Pharrell Williams says that Ayers is one of his biggest musical heroes.
Roy Ayers received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Congress of Racial Equality.
Images for kids
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Ayers in 1976
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Ayers performing in Perth, Australia, 2011
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Ayers playing a MalletKAT at the Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, Somerset, England, 2019
See also
In Spanish: Roy Ayers para niños
