Clive Davis, the record company lawyer who became one of the most powerful figures in the music industry and who launched or revived the careers of such superstars as Janis Joplin, Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana and Alicia Keys, has died, his family has confirmed.
He was 94 years old.His death, at his Manhattan apartment, was confirmed by his publicist Alisa Rabinoff, who also shared a statement from his family.
Clive Davis’ family announces his death
“To the world, our father was an iconic music legend whose vision, instincts and relentless pursuit of excellence formed the soundtrack to countless lives. He discovered, mentored and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on the culture that will endure for generations,” the statement read.Earlier this year, Davis was hospitalized with an upper respiratory problem and was released after a few days.Unlike other recording moguls whose influence diminishes as they age, Davis may seem to grow and span multiple genres and labels. In his later years, he guided the careers of everyone from Barry Manilow to “American Idol” winners Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson. His exclusive pre-Grammy Awards party, held on the Saturday night before the Sunday awards ceremony every year since 1975, has remained an institution.
Celebrities mourn the death of Clive Davis
“Clive’s talent was always to see and hear what others did not see,” former President Barack Obama said in a video message played at this year’s ceremony.Carlos Santana said in a statement: “Clive Davis was a visionary. He could hear the intangibles before anyone else saw them. He believed in Santana from the beginning, and years later he believed in us again. That kind of belief is a beautiful blessing, and I will always be grateful.”
Clive understood that music was more than just entertainment. Music is a healing force. It brings people together, far from fear, from separation, and from across borders.
“He dedicated his life to supporting artists and helping them share their talent with the world.”He continued, “Clive recognized the light in people. He encouraged artists to trust their voices and step into their destiny. Thanks to his vision, countless musicians have reached hearts all over the planet.”Alicia Keys paid tribute to Clive Davis, saying: “To Clive Davis, the visionary who turned dreams into reality and left an indelible mark on music and life around the world.”“Heartbroken to hear of the passing of Clive Davis. Clive was not just a music legend, he was a champion for artists and someone who believed in people and their dreams. Forever grateful for his guidance, generosity and the opportunities he provided so many of us,” Michael Bublé wrote on Instagram.Paul Stanley wrote in a tweet: “The music world and all those who loved music for 6 decades have lost a visionary and champion to so many artists in so many genres. A one-of-a-kind genius.”Barry Manilow also tweeted, “My heart is heavy with the loss of my friend Clive Davis. We worked together for fifty years, created together, argued together, and celebrated together. Yes, some might say this was business. But for Clive, it was never that way.”
It was family. “I was honored to be a part of it.”
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Clive J. Davis was born on April 4, 1932 in Brooklyn, New York, where he grew up in the Crown Heights neighborhood. His father was an electrician and traveling salesman. He attended New York University and then Harvard Law School, eventually landing a job as an in-house lawyer at Columbia Records.Davis always had a knack for business, and by 1967, he had become president of the company, just seven years after being hired as a lawyer.
He cited attending the Monterey International Pop Festival that year as pivotal. This eventually brought Bruce Springsteen, Chicago, Neil Diamond and many other groups to the label – bringing a counterculture spirit to a company that resisted rock and roll.Davis had significant swings in the music industry, particularly in his support of black artists, beginning with his signing to Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International Records in 1971.In 2015, the NAACP honored Davis for his pioneering work by presenting him with its Vanguard Award. Last summer, Davis received the Apollo Legacy Award from the Apollo Theater and was inducted into the Walk of Fame.
Clive Davis success stories
His success stories were astonishing, with Houston crowning his own with a devastating tragedy: Davis signed her to his record label Arista when she was a teenager and turned her into America’s pop princess.
Houston had several hit songs and became one of the best-selling artists in pop history before drug abuse hampered her career. She died in a Los Angeles hotel room in 2012, just hours before she was due to appear at the annual pre-Grammy Awards party hosted by Davis, who she was convinced would change her life.“Maybe I should have been more skeptical, but I was always an optimist, and I felt hopeful,” Davis wrote in his 2013 memoir, “The Soundtrack of My Life.”
“It felt like old times.”It also launched the multi-platinum, multi-Grammy Award-winning career of the Keys — and he was quick to note other talent he signed, including Joplin, Billy Joel, Blood Sweat & Tears and other “all-timers,” as he often said.“I signed with Patti Smith, the great Renaissance woman… I signed with Lou Reed… I signed with the Grateful Dead,” he said proudly in an interview with The Associated Press in 1999.
Clive Davis signs with Sean Diddy Combs
He also signed then-up-and-coming producer Sean “Diddy” Combs to a label deal with his own Bad Boy Records. Under Davis, the label had some of its biggest successes, most notably with the late rap icon Notorious B.I.G., long before hip-hop mogul Diddy was jailed and convicted of violating the federal Mann Act, which prohibits transporting people across state lines for any sex crime.
An executive who has built a lifetime of careers
Not only was Davis interested in new talent, he also knew how to keep veterans relevant, decades after their first success.
Aretha Franklin, who made her legend at Atlantic Records, flourished in her final years at Arista, as did Luther Vandross, who made his final albums for another Davis label, J Records.It was Davis who created the 1999 album “Supernatural,” which brought together guitar god Santana with some of the most popular talents of the time. This record won eight Grammy Awards and gave Santana more success than he had enjoyed in his decades-long career.It also had middle-aged superstar Rod Stewart trading in his rock songs for “Great American Songbook” standards. Released in 2003, the album sold millions and became a hit, spawning four titles in total.He and producer David Foster quarreled bitterly over the arrangement of Houston’s biggest hit of all time, a cover of Dolly Parton’s “I’ll Always Love You.” Davis won that battle — and the song was popularized with its famous a cappella intro.Manilow strongly objected to recording “I Write Songs”, stating that he had not even written the song, a Bruce Johnston song that became a major hit for Manilow, who would have similar latter-day success mining the music of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.“He’s good at picking ideas that he thinks the audience will connect with,” said Manilow, who has worked with Davis since he was a budding singer at Columbia Records.
But he is not an infallible figure
Davis also had his struggles. Although he became president of Columbia Records in 1967 after joining the company in 1960 as a lawyer, by 1973 he had suffered a bitter fallout. The label accused him of mismanagement of funds and he was fired. Although Davis says he was later acquitted, that was not the end of his troubles e; He was later indicted on tax evasion charges, pleaded guilty to one count and had to pay a $10,000 fine.However, Davis declared victory: Columbia gave him the money to start Arista to resolve the dispute, he said, and the label would become a hit with artists such as country music stars Brooks & Dunn, the sassy R&B group TLC, Babyface, Houston, Franklin and others.The brand achieved great success with its first offering – Milli Vanilli. But the all-male pop duo would become an embarrassment for the industry when, after their Grammy win, it was revealed that they had never actually sung their songs (Davis blamed the debacle on the label’s European division, which he said had signed them; the group was later stripped of its Best New Artist Grammy).In 1999, as Arista was celebrating its 25th anniversary, Davis faced another crisis: the brand’s then-parent company, BMG Entertainment, a division of the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann, wanted him to retire; Most of its executives had been laid off by age 60, and Davis was in his mid-60s.In 2000, despite support from its roster of stars, the label ousted him in favor of producer and songwriter Antonio “LA” Reed, who later became president of Island/Def Jam.
However, Davis’s successes were many
However, rather than sever its ties with Davis, BMG helped him launch J Records into what BMG described as the largest emerging record label ever. Vandross was one of his first artists, along with forgotten acts like boy band O-Town.J Records was a success from the beginning, and its stature only grew with the arrival of a young singer named Keys, a piano-playing singer-songwriter with powerful flutes and dramatic R&B vocals. Keys’ albums would go on to sell millions and win numerous Grammy Awards.His influence grew even greater when Davis was selected for BMG’s US division.He became a major supporter of the careers of American Idol winners, leading several albums to platinum status.
The show’s link to Sony BMG came through a deal between Davis and 19 Recordings Unlimited, the label run by “Idol” creator Simon Fuller.However, in 2007, Davis disagreed with the direction of Clarkson’s “My December”, and publicly criticized it. The album was a flop and she later apologized.In 2008, Sony BMG replaced Davis as Chairman and CEO of BMG Brands, giving him the title of Chief Creative Officer.He was Global Creative Director at Sony Music Entertainment until his death.
A personal life full of love
In his memoirs, Davis confirmed old rumors that he was bisexual and had been living with a man in recent years.“Do I feel like I could have been similarly attracted to a woman?” Davis wrote. “The answer is yes.”He is survived by his four children, sons Fred, Doug and Mitchell, daughter Lauren, eight grandchildren Austin, Charlie, Matthew, Hayley, Harper, Sloan, Billy and Cody, and two great-grandchildren, cousin Joe Shuman and partner Greg Shriver.His family shared a loving statement on Monday.“In every chapter of his remarkable life, family remained Clive’s greatest pride and deepest joy. Today, we celebrate not only an iconic figure whose influence changed music forever, but also a man who led our family with grace, generosity and kindness. We will miss him greatly, cherish him always, and carry his love with us for the rest of our lives.”
