A legendary figure in American music, who transcended traditional divides and worked with artists from a variety of different genres, has sadly passed away.

Quincy Jones, the award-winning and widely-famed composer, conductor, and producer, died on Sunday at his home in Los Angeles' Bel Air in California at the age of 91, Variety reported.

"Jones’ heart will beat for eternity" through his timeless music

The news of his death was shared along with a statement from his family by his longtime representative, Arnold Robinson, though no cause of death was disclosed.

"Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing," Jone's family said in a statement. "And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him."

"He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created," the family added. "Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity."

From gang life in Chicago to the heights of the music industry

According to the Associated Press, Jones was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1933 in a troubled home where music was one of the few constants in his life that made any sense.

After running with street gangs and getting into trouble at an early age, Jones learned how to play the piano and trumpet and quickly realized that making music was his calling in life.

He briefly studied at a prestigious music school in Boston, Massachusetts, as a teenager but eventually dropped out to join a band and begin what would become a lifelong career in the music industry.

Over the years, Jones grew more involved in the business end of the music industry and, often breaking racial barriers along the way, ultimately became one of the most well-known and highly-regarded executives and producers of all time.

A lengthy and award-winning career

As a music composer, conductor, and producer, Jones worked with a wide array of talented artists from various genres that included jazz and swing, hip-hop and R&B, and even rock & roll, from the 1950s to the present day.

He is perhaps best known for his work with Michael Jackson, whom he transformed from a child star in the 1970s to the "King of Pop" in the 1980s, but also produced hits for everyone from Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra to some of rap's biggest stars in the 1990s and 2000s.

According to Jones' IMDb page, he played a role in composing, conducting, or producing the music for nearly 200 films and TV shows, as well as more than 200 soundtracks, and he won or was nominated for dozens of awards, including Grammys, Emmys, Oscars, and Tonys, earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was honored for his numerous accomplishments by the likes of the Kennedy Center and the White House, among others.

Jones urged everyone to "Keep on keepin' on"

In what would turn out to be his final Facebook post when he turned 91 in March, Jones wrote, "This life that I’ve been blessed to live is not one that I take for granted. As a little black boy growing up in the South Side of Chicago, making it to 91 wasn’t even a dream because it never seemed possible. But as I stand before you today, I am grateful for every person who lent me a shoulder to stand on … From Count Basie to Nadia Boulanger to Joseph Powe to all of the individuals who told me I was worth another day."

"To all-a-y’awl out there, never underestimate the positive impact that you can have on a kid’s life because it may just be the difference between them making it to 19 or 91," he added. "Thank you all for the beautiful birthday wishes & I pray that I can continue to pass down what the greats have given to me!! Keep on keepin’ on … U know I am!"