Revered musician Quincy Jones joined some of the most illustrious names in entertainment by dipping his hands and feet in cement outside Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre.
Jones, 85, is an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award winning composer and music producer, known for his work on several best-selling albums, including Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
On Tuesday he was honoured at a ceremony in Los Angeles, joining stars including John Wayne, Charlton Heston and Frank Sinatra in having his hand and footprints placed in cement outside the TCL Chinese Theatre.
Jones, wearing a cap bearing the slogan, “University of the ‘hood”, told the audience, including hip-hop stars Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Usher, that as a teenager growing up in the US city of Seattle he used to sit in movie theatres dreaming of composing film scores.
Jones added: “I could never ever have imagined that those dreams would lead me to here to this moment and to be honest it is a little bit overwhelming.”
Jones was honoured for his work in composing film scores, which include The Getaway, The Wiz and The Colour Purple.
He spoke about his early career and thanked stars such as actor Sidney Poitier and director Sidney Lumet for helping him break through in the film industry.
He said: “I am told I am the first composer to have the honour of being enshrined here at the Chinese Theatre, so as the first I want to say that I share this recognition with all my fellow composers and dear friends and colleagues past and present.
Jones then listed Henry Mancini, Benny Carter and Alfred Newman among others as musicians he admires.
He said: “There are only 12 notes, we’ve had them for 700 years and between rhythm and harmony we have to figure out how to make those things belong to us and that’s difficult after 700 years.
“I am so humbled by this recognition. You know how to make a short, bald-headed, bow-legged 85-year-old grin like a fox eating sauerkraut.”
Jones’ daughter, Rashida, was among those who spoke at the ceremony.
She directed a Netflix documentary about her father’s life, titled Quincy, and described him as “a true force of nature who has put his unique stamp on every decade of culture as we’ve known it over the last 70 years”.
Rashida said: “When my dad first saw this documentary about his life the first thing he said was ‘I wish I could live forever’. And knowing that he’s been the first through so many doors and a barrier breaker his entire life, he probably will live forever.”
Snoop Dogg, who earlier this month was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, said Jones was a great model and inspiration.
He thanked him for, “being a great friend to us in hip-hop, because we needed someone like you, we never had a voice in hip-hop to be our voice.
“We never had a hip-hop president or hip-hop leader and we always looked to you as that person.”