Roy Edward Ayers Jr. was born in Los Angeles in 1940. He was brought up in a musical household and at 17 years of age his parents presented him with a set of vibes. The rest, as they say, is history.

The 60s were his training ground in jazz, hooking up with legendary producer Leonard Feather. It was during this time he made his debut LP "West Coast Vibes".

The 1970s found Roy embarking upon a long and fruitful relationship with Polydor Records, where Roy began to incorporate "wah wah" and "fuzz" tones on his vibes. It was during this period he formed the group Ubiquity.

For the next ten years, Roy Ayers produced what many regard as some of his finest works. Perhaps the most well-known work to come out of this period was "Everybody Loves the Sunshine".

Roy Ayers has continued to write, produce and collaborate with many major artists, and is currently one of the most sampled artists in the music industry.

Some of the artists and producers who Roy has recorded or performed with, or who have sampled the vibraphone mastery of Roy Ayers include, Herbie Hancock, Teddy Edwards, Herbie Mann, Erykah Badu, Guru, A Tribe Called Quest, Puff Daddy, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Masters at Work, Naughty by Nature, Jocelyn Brown (our 70s host of The Basement!), Tupac, The Roots, The Jungle Brothers… and many others.

This year marks 40 years in the music industry for Roy Ayers. He is, without question, a legend in his own time.

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