Roy Ayers, ‘Everybody Loves the Sunshine’ Musician and ‘Coffy’ Composer, Dies at 84

Roy Ayers, the legendary jazz vibraphonist known for his hit “Everybody Loves the Sunshine” and sampled by countless artists, died at the age of 84.

In a statement shared with Variety, the Ayers family said that he died yesterday after suffering from a long illness. “It is with great sadness that the family of legendary vibraphonist, composer, and producer Roy Ayers announce his passing which occurred on March 4, 2025 in New York City after a long illness,” they said, describing him as “highly influential and sought after as a music collaborator.”

Throughout his career, Ayers established himself as a pioneer of jazz-funk and was largely influential on the neo-soul movement. As a solo artist, he released dozens of albums over the years, dating as far back as 1963, and scored his biggest hit “Everybody Loves the Sunshine” with his group Roy Ayers Ubiquity. The musician’s songs have been sampled by everyone from Mary J. Blige and Common to Tyler, the Creator and Kanye West, and he collaborated with countless musicians including Erykah Badu, Fela Kuti and Rick James.

With Roy Ayers Ubiquity, which he formed in the early 1970s, he scored his biggest hit with “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” the title track from his 1976 album. To date, that song has more than 130 million Spotify streams, and has been covered by a range of artists including D’Angelo, Jamie Cullum and Robert Glasper.

Ayers is survived by his wife Argerie, and their children Mtume and Ayana Ayers.

More to come…