The legendary American vibraphonist, composer and pioneer of jazz-funk died Tuesday, his family said. He was 84.

Roy Ayers, the legendary vibraphonist, record producer and composer behind hits like "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" and "No Stranger to Love," has died. He was 84. Ayers, nicknamed the "Godfather of Neo Soul," died on Tuesday, March 4 in New York City after a long illness, according to a statement published on his official Facebook account.

Roy Ayers, the jazz-funk vibraphonist known for the album Everybody Loves the Sunshine which has been sampled countless times since it was released, has died. He was 84. Ayers died Tuesday in New York after a long illness, his family announced in a statement, describing him as “highly influential and sought after as a music collaborator.”