Roy Ayers, the jazz punk idol behind “Everyone Loves the Sun”, died at the age of 84

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Roy Ayers, the legendary vibraphonist and jazz-funk piloteer behind “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” has died at 84. He passed away Tuesday in New York City after a long illness, according to a statement on his Facebook page.Born in Los Angeles on September 10th, 1940, Ayers' journey into music began at age five when vibraphonist Lionel Hampton gifted him his first mallets.“At the time, my mother and father told I recalled in 2011 that he laid some spiritual resonance for me. Beginning in the hard-hitting scenes of the 1960s, Ayers discovered his signature sound in the 70s with band Roy Ayers’ Ubiquity. Combining funk grooves, affectionate horns and jazz riffs, they shape albums like “He Bon Coming” (1971) and “Red, Black & Green” (1973). The score of “Coffy”, starring Pam Grier, also left a mark. But 1976’s “Everyone Loves the Sun” solidified his legacy. “It’s so spontaneous.” Ayers told The Guardian in 2017. The song's influence spans 100 times, spanning Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, and Dream. Ayers remained crucial in hip-hop and R&B, working with The Roots and creator Tyler. He also appeared on Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun (2000), whom Badu calls him the “new prince”. Ayers' wife Argerie and their children mtume and ayana Ayers survive.

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