Roy Ayers, ‘Everybody Loves the Sunshine’ Musician and ‘Coffy’ Composer, Dies at 84
Roy Ayers, the iconic jazz vibraphonist famous for his classic track "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" and widely sampled across music genres, has died at 84 years old. The Ayers family told Variety that he passed away yesterday following a prolonged illness. "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," the statement read, noting he was "highly influential and sought after as a music collaborator."
Ayers established himself as a jazz-funk pioneer and substantially shaped the neo-soul movement. His prolific career included numerous albums dating back to 1963, with his group Roy Ayers Ubiquity producing his biggest hit "Everybody Loves the Sunshine." His music has been sampled by artists like Mary J. Blige, Common, Tyler, the Creator, and Kanye West, while he worked alongside musicians including the Roots, Guru, Fela Kuti, and Rick James.
Born in Los Angeles in 1940, Ayers grew up in a musical home. He felt inspired to play the vibraphone after watching Lionel Hampton's Big Band when he was five years old. He took piano lessons and sang in his church choir. At 17, he received his first vibraphone and studied advanced music theory at Los Angeles City College.
He first recorded with saxophonist Curtis Amy in the early 1960s and signed with United Artists to release his first album "West Coast Vibes" in 1963. He collaborated with jazz flutist Herbie Mann on three Atlantic Records albums—"Virgo Vibes," "Stoned Soul Picnic," and "Daddy Bug"—before moving to Polydor Records. In 1973, he created the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film "Coffy" starring Pam Grier.
During this period, he formed Roy Ayers Ubiquity and achieved his biggest success with "Everybody Loves the Sunshine," the title song from their 1976 album. This track now has over 130 million Spotify streams and has been covered by artists like D'Angelo, Jamie Cullum, and Robert Glasper.
In later decades, he continued releasing music and started two labels, Uno Melodic and Gold Mink Records. His final solo album "Mahogany Vibe" was released in 2004, featuring Betty Wright, Kamilah, and Erykah Badu. In 2015, he appeared on Tyler, the Creator's song "Find Your Wings" and performed at the rapper's Camp Flog Gnaw festival two years later. His last major project was "Roy Ayers JID002," a 2020 collaboration with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad through Jazz Is Dead. His lasting impact stems largely from his significant influence on hip-hop and R&B musicians.
His individual tracks and productions served as samples for many years, contributing a rich, flowing sound to songs like Mary J. Blige's "My Life," A Tribe Called Quest's "Bonita Applebaum," and Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s "Get Money." Ayers leaves behind his wife Argerie and their children Mtume and Ayana Ayers.
