Of Jones, who died in November at the age of 91, Winfrey said: “One’s first thought is musical genius and for good reason.” She cited Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles as artists with whom Jones worked “and the driving force behind ‘We Are The World.’ … But the man, our beloved Q, had an equally important impact on film.”

A Queen gave an Oscar tribute fit for a king. That’s what happened at the 97th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night when Queen Latifah gave a salute to movie music icon Quincy Jones, who died at 91 from pancreatic cancer last November.

Goldberg, who introduced Queen Latifah's moving musical tribute to Jones, previously said she had "no better friend" than the legendary musician, who died in 2024.