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Roy Ayers, jazz-funk pioneer behind Everybody Loves the Sunshine, dies aged 84

Family announces on Facebook that the musician died in New York City after a long illness

A post on the musician’s official Facebook page said: “It is with great sadness that the family of legendary vibraphonist, composer and producer Roy Ayers announce his passing which occurred on March 4th, 2025 in New York City after a long illness. He then formed his band Roy Ayers Ubiquity and developed his signature jazz-funk sound that featured him on vibraphone, an instrument he was inspired to learn after meeting the jazz musician Lionel Hampton, who gave him a pair of mallets when he was five years old. By the time Everybody Loves the Sunshine was released, Ayers had already put out more than a dozen albums, earning himself the title of Godfather of Neo Soul.

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