Quincy Jones was a teenage trumpeter with Lionel Hampton before he arranged for Sinatra, produced Thriller, and became the most nominated person in Grammy history. A kid from Chicago's South Side who studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, came back to America, and decided he was going to arrange, compose, produce, and conduct his way through every genre that existed.

Sinatra at the Sands -- his arrangements. The Quintessence -- his jazz big band album that belongs in every collection. Thriller -- his production. The Color Purple -- his score. We Are the World -- he convened it. 28 Grammys. An EGOT. He mentored Will Smith and Oprah. He once said the Beatles were terrible musicians. When you have 28 Grammys, you can say whatever you want.

He was the through-line connecting the jazz of the 1950s, the soul of the 1960s, the pop of the 1980s, and the hip-hop of the 1990s. Q. The teenage trumpeter who became the most connected, most accomplished, most decorated figure in American music. The jazz catalog alone is Tier 1. Everything else is bonus.

Quincy Jones -- teenage trumpeter turned Sinatra's arranger, then Thriller. 28 Grammys. Said whatever he wanted. Q.