Whoopi Goldberg "had no better friend" than Quincy Jones

Whoopi said on 'The View': "I can't even explain what's happening in my head right now. We just lost the extraordinary Quincy Jones, songwriter, composer, producer - he worked with everybody."

Whoopi actually worked with Quincy on 'The Color Purple', the 1985 movie that marked his debut as a film producer. And the Hollywood star has suggested that Quincy's influence stretched even further than most people might think.

She shared: "Of course, he was the composer on 'The Color Purple', which is how I met Quincy.

"What I can tell you is, in three words, is that I had no better friend, he never left, when other people were flocking away, Q stayed, and he always told me to stand my ground. I do and always will.

"I also want to tell people that he's going to be receiving an honorary Oscar this year, and the last thing I'll tell you, he's such a prolific composer. He composed stuff you probably didn't even know was his."

Quincy also worked with the likes of Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles during the course of his career.

And Quincy's family paid tribute to him when they announced his passing.

The family said in a statement: "Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones' passing.

"And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him."