United States President Barack Obama presented the 2010 National Medal of Arts to jazz great Quincy Jones in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on March 2, 2011. President Obama awarded the 2010 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal to 20 honorees. The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States Government. Quincy Jones was honored for his extraordinary contributions to American music as a musician, composer, record producer, and arranger. As a master inventor of musical hybrids, he has mixed pop, soul, hip-hop, jazz, classical, African, and Brazilian music into many dazzling fusions, traversing virtually every medium, including records, live performances, movies, and television. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

United States President Barack Obama presented the 2010 National Medal of Arts to jazz great Quincy Jones in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on March 2, 2011. President Obama awarded the 2010 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal to 20 honorees. The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States Government. Quincy Jones was honored for his extraordinary contributions to American music as a musician, composer, record producer, and arranger. As a master inventor of musical hybrids, he has mixed pop, soul, hip-hop, jazz, classical, African, and Brazilian music into many dazzling fusions, traversing virtually every medium, including records, live performances, movies, and television. (Photo by Jeff Malet)