Roy Ayers, “The Godfather of Neo-Soul,” passed away at the age of 84 after battling a “long illness.” His music inspired a generation of R&B, jazz, and hip-hop artists.
Ayers is best known for his 1976 classic, “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” which is still among the most beautiful and timeless songs in R&B and jazz. With that in mind, we felt it was the perfect time to look back at artists who have excellently covered this timeless classic over the years.
D’Angelo
Beloved R&B and neo-soul singer D’Angelo covered this classic in 2000 on his “Voodoo Outtakes & Rehearsals.” He amazingly pays homage to the song while still infusing his style and voice into it. It’s clear that D’Angelo wasn’t trying to sound like Ayers but almost remix it in his own way.
Robert Glasper Experiment
As one of the most underrated and talented musicians in the R&B space, Robert Glasper has been producing quality music for years and has worked with several of the best artists in music, including Kendrick Lamar and Anderson.Paak. In 2010, he and his group, The Robert Glasper Experiment, performed a new rendition of Ayers’ 1976 classic that included only live instrumentation.
Incognito
I don’t blame you if you haven’t heard of Incognito. They’re a British Jazz band that has been active since the early 1980s and continues to make music to this day. In 2006, they covered a more energetic version of “Everybody Loves the Sunshine” on their album, “Bees+Things+Flowers,” and it came out great.
Takuya Kuroda
Just because he’s Japanese doesn’t mean he doesn’t have soul. Takuya Kuroda’s lengthy cover is a more traditional rendition of Ayers’ track that is more minimalistic in its production. However, it is not any less enjoyable as Kuroda elegantly plays his trumpet throughout the song.
Kiefer
Kiefer is a young jazz musician who is still keeping the genre alive for young listeners in 2025. However, in 2021, he decided to honor the past on his album, “Between Day,” and cover “Everybody Loves the Sunshine” by infusing it with elements of jazz and electronic.