Most people know legendary jazz artist Roy Ayers for his music. The Los Angeles-born jazz musician and composer’s music has been sampled over 1,000 times by hip-hop and R&B artists, including Common, Outkast and Mary J. Blige. But Ayers, who passed away in March 2025, also had a fascinating personal story, including a relationship with a Jewish woman who wanted to have a child with him, with no strings attached.
Suggested Reading
Now a musician and record executive, Roy Ayers’ estranged son, Nabil Ayers, wrote about the impact of growing up without his famous dad and his journey to acceptance of a reality without him in a 2022 memoir, “My Life in the Sunshine.”
It’s hard to believe that one of his most famous tracks, “Everybody Loves The Sunshine,” will be turning 50 this year, but it’s guaranteed to have a spot on our playlist for years to come. This is the story of Roy Ayers.
Born in Los Angeles
Roy Edward Ayers Jr. was born on September 10, 1940, in Los Angeles, California. He was one of four children born to Roy Ayers Sr., a scrap dealer and an amateur trombonist and Ruby Ayers, a teacher and piano tutor.
A Student of Music
Ayers began playing music at a young age, getting his first piano lessons from his mother when he was just a toddler. He continued his studies throughout his childhood, going on to study music at Thomas Jefferson High School, whose impressive list of famous alumni also include Alvin Ailey, Etta James Johnny “Guitar” Watson.
The Vibraphone
Ayers is best known for playing the vibraphone, a percussion instrument that was invented in Chicago in the 1920s. Used heavily in jazz music, it contains bars made of aluminum through which sound can be manipulated when struck by mallets.
Ayers said he was first introduced to the instrument at age 5, when his parents took him to see jazz percussionist and bandleader Lionel Hampton in concert, who gave him his first set of mallets.
“At the time, my mother and father told me he laid some spiritual vibes on me,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 2011.
Roy Ayers Ubiquity
In 1970, Ayers moved to Manhattan where he formed the jazz band, Roy Ayers Ubiquity. The name was suggested by Ayers’ manager for its meaning – a state of being everywhere at the same time. The group recorded their unique blend of jazz, funk and soul music together, which included hits like “We Live in Brooklyn, Baby,” “Vibrations” and “Life is Just a Moment.”
“Coffy” Soundtrack
In 1973, Ayers composed, arranged and produced the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film, “Coffy,” starring Pam Grier. In the film, Grier plays a vigilante out for justice against a drug deal who is responsible for her sister’s addiction.
“Everybody Loves The Sunshine”
In 1976, Ayers released “Everybody Loves The Sunshine,” the album whose title track is still one of Roy Ayers’ most popular songs. The groovy hit was one of Ayers’ favorite songs in his catalog and was usually the finale song during his shows. In an interview with The Guardian, he remembered recording the track at Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios in New York City on a beautiful summer night. The good vibes got him thinking about images of summer – folks gettin’ down, folks gettin’ brown and bees and things and flowers.
“It was so spontaneous. It felt wonderful,” he said. “I knew people would connect to it because everybody loves sunshine. It just felt like a perfect song.
“Running Away”
While much of Ayers’ catalog is smooth jazz, you can’t talk about his music without mentioning “Running Away,” a funky seven-minute hit with house and disco vibes.
“Music of Many Colors”
In 1980, Ayers collaborated with afrobeat legend Fela Kuti on “Music of Many Colors,” a 36-minute jam session which only contained two tracks. The album was the product of a 1979 tour in which the two artists performed together in Nigeria.
Finding Family
Roy Ayers was married once to his wife Argerie, with whom he tied the knot in 1973. The couple had two children, Ayana and Mtume. But before he started his family, the musician made an interesting arrangement with another woman.
Louise Braufman was a white Jewish former ballerina who worked as a waitress in New York. After meeting Ayers, she told him that she wanted to have a baby with him – no strings attached. Ayers agreed, and their son, Nabil Ayers, was born.
“She didn’t have a real plan, but she did have a plan that ‘I want to raise a child on my own, and I can do it. I just need this person who I think is great and charismatic and kind and talented to help me with that,’” Nabil Ayers said in an interview with CBS.
Somewhere in the Middle
Nabil Ayers didn’t grow up with his famous father, but he definitely inherited his talent, growing up to become musician and record executive. In an interview with CBS News, Nabil said that his interactions with his father were limited throughout his life. But while Ayers his parents’ arrangement was ok for him for a while, he started to look at things differently as he got older and began to have questions about his identity.
“I felt guilty because I’d grown up with my white mother, I lived in Salt Lake City at the time surrounded by mostly white people, mostly white friends. I lived in a pretty white world, and I didn’t consider myself white. I knew I wasn’t, but I definitely didn’t consider myself Black.” he told CBS News. “I felt like I was literally somewhere in the middle, and both boxes felt wrong.”
“My Life in the Sunshine”
Ayers wrote about his experience growing up without his father and his search for connection to the family he never knew in his memoir, “My Life in the Sunshine.” The book was released in 2022, the year Nabil turned 50.
“It took me that long to process a lot of what happened in my life, both the good and bad,” he told Entertainment Weekly in 2022.
So Many Samples
Even if you didn’t grow up listening to Roy Ayers, you’ve probably heard his music through some of your favorite hip-hop artists. Ayers’ music has been sampled over 1,000 times by artists, including A Tribe Called Quest, Common, 2Pac and Mos Def.
In a 2021 interview, Ayers told Bonafide Magazine that while he loved the fact that a new generation found his music through sampling, one of his favorites was Mary J. Blige’s “My Life,” which samples “Everybody Loves The Sunshine.”
Tiny Desk
In March of 2018, Ayers picked up his mallets for an amazing Tiny Desk concert. Performing classic hits like “Searching” and “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” the then-77-year-old did not miss a beat. The concert received over 88,000 likes on YouTube and thousands of comments from fans who appreciated the chance to hear a music legend perform.
“Roy Ayers is a national treasure,” wrote someone in the comments.
Loss of a Legend
Roy Ayers passed away in New York City on March 4, 2025, at age 84. The loss was felt by many in the music industry as heartfelt tributes poured in across social media.
“Thank you for teachin’ us how this soul music works. Rest Peacefully King!” wrote DJ Premier on X.
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