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Quincy Jones enjoyed a booming career as a top-tier music and film producer with more than 60 years in the business. Born in Chicago in 1933, the late multifaceted artist rose through the ranks in the music industry after dropping out of Berklee College of Music in Boston and starting his touring career. By 1964, he was named a vice president of Mercury Records, making him the first Black man to hold such a heavy position at a white-owned record company, per the American Academy of Achievement. To date, he has 28 Grammy awards to his name, one Emmy, and seven Oscar nominations. Plus, he has worked with some of the biggest names of all time, such as Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra.
Quincy also enjoyed a bustling private life. He was married three times and had seven children between five women. So, who are the women who once held they key to the music industry icon’s heart? Read on to learn about Quincy Jones’ three previous wives.
Jeri Caldwell
Actress Jeri Caldwell and Quincy Jones were married between 1957 and 1966 and welcomed one child, a daughter named Jolie, together. Jeri has one acting credit to her name, for an appearance in 1994’s Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult. There is not much known about their relationship due to it being more than 50 years ago, but Quincy did once reveal how they got together in high school during an interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“Jeri hit on me first. Back then I was dogging it up, and Jeri and her sister were the hotsy-totsies at school,” he recalled. “I noticed that she stopped at the water fountain every day — the dog squad is real good at noticing patterns. My daughters have since taught me that guys think their rap is so strong that women can’t resist — but that’s not it: A girl has a guy spotted a year before he even knows she’s there!”
Quincy was 19 years old when he married Jeri, but admitted she wasn’t his first true love — just the first love he married.
Ulla Andersson
Quincy married Swedish model and actress Ulla Andersson one year after his divorce from Jeri was finalized. They welcomed a daughter, Martina, and a son, Quincy III, during their union. Sadly, their marriage was over within years and was finalized in 1974 so Quincy could go on to marry his third wife, Peggy Lipton.
Aside from being a successful magazine model, Ulla dipped her feet into acting and even music. Her debut album, No Time No Space No Age No Race That’s Nifty!, was released in 1979. In 2007, she released an autobiography called Red Carpet Blues.
Peggy Lipton
Peggy Lipton, an American actress, model, and singer known for appearing in Mission Impossible and Twin Peaks, was Quincy’s longest marriage, as they walked down the aisle in 1974 and divorced in1989. By the time they tied the knot, they had already welcomed a daughter, Kidada. The most famous offspring of Quincy is the second daughter he welcomed with Peggy in 1976: actress Rashida Jones.
Peggy Lipton and Quincy Jones smile in 1980 (Photo: MediaPunch/Shutterstock)
Although Quincy has not spoken much about their union, he had nothing but praises to sing about Peggy when she died in May 2019. “There is absolutely no combination of words that can express the sadness I feel after losing my beloved Peggy Lipton….My wife of 14 years,” he wrote on Instagram alongside a slideshow of old pictures with her.
“We shared many, many beautiful memories, & most importantly, we share two incredible daughters…Pie (@kidadajonesog) & Doonkie (@rashidajones),” he continued. “Regardless of the paths that our lives took us on, I can say with the utmost certainty, that love is eternal. Thank you all for the love & support you’ve shown me & my family.”
Did Quincy Have a Girlfriend Before He Died?
Quincy was not married when he died, but his love life made headlines. In 2018, he revealed he had 22 girlfriends during an interview with GQ. He then listed where they’re all from. “Everywhere. Cape Town. Cairo. Stockholm — she’s coming in next week. Brazil — Belo Horizonte, São Paulo, and Rio. Shanghai — got a great girl over there from Shanghai, man. Cairo, whew,” he boasted at the time.
He also noted that his girlfriends were all aware of each other. “I don’t lie. And it’s amazing — women get it, man,” he said. “Don’t you ever forget they’re 13 years smarter than we are. Don’t you ever forget it.”
