5 Things You Didn’t Know About Roy Ayers

Roy Ayers was one of the most influential musicians in jazz, funk, and soul. Known for his hit song Everybody Loves the Sunshine, he helped shape modern music and inspired many artists in hip-hop and R&B.

While many people know his music, there are some surprising facts about his life and career that often go unnoticed.

Here are five things you might not know about Roy Ayers.

1. A Jazz Legend Gave Him His First Musical Gift

Roy Ayers’ love for music started when he was just five years old. Jazz great Lionel Hampton, one of the best vibraphone players in history, gave Ayers a pair of vibraphone mallets.

This simple gift sparked his passion for the instrument and led him to become one of the most famous vibraphonists in jazz. Unlike many musicians who start with piano or guitar, Ayers focused on the vibraphone, making it his signature sound.

2. He Created a Unique Band Called Roy Ayers Ubiquity

In the 1970s, Ayers formed Roy Ayers Ubiquity, a band that blended jazz, funk, and soul into a new sound. He chose the name “Ubiquity” because he wanted his music to be everywhere. The band became popular for its catchy, groove-heavy songs like Running Away and Searchin’.

At a time when many jazz musicians stuck to traditional sounds, Ayers mixed different styles, making his music fresh and exciting for a wide audience.

3. He Worked with Fela Kuti to Mix Jazz and Afrobeat

In the late 1970s, Ayers traveled to Nigeria and worked with Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti. The two musicians toured together and recorded the album Music of Many Colors in 1980. Their collaboration combined Ayers’ jazz-funk with Kuti’s Afrobeat rhythms, creating a powerful fusion of music from different cultures.

Ayers was one of the few American jazz artists at the time to embrace African music, helping bring Afrobeat to more listeners worldwide.

4. His Music Shaped Hip-Hop and R&B

Roy Ayers is often called the “Godfather of Neo-Soul” because his music has influenced so many hip-hop and R&B artists. His songs have been sampled by stars like Mary J. Blige, A Tribe Called Quest, Common, and Kanye West.

His 1976 hit Everybody Loves the Sunshine alone has been sampled over 100 times. While some jazz musicians disliked hip-hop sampling, Ayers welcomed it, seeing it as a way for his music to live on in new ways.

5. He Created the Soundtrack for the Film Coffy

In 1973, Ayers wrote the music for the movie Coffy, a famous blaxploitation film starring Pam Grier. Instead of using traditional movie music, he added his funky jazz style to the soundtrack, making it one of the most memorable of its time.

His work in film showed his ability to create music that fit different stories and moods, expanding his influence beyond albums and concerts.

Roy Ayers’ impact on music is huge. He was a pioneer in blending jazz, funk, and soul, and his influence can still be heard today in hip-hop, R&B, and electronic music. His fearless creativity and willingness to try new things made him one of the most important musicians of his time.

While Everybody Loves the Sunshine remains his most famous song, his legacy is much bigger, continuing to inspire artists and music fans around the world.