Clive Davis, Legendary Music Executive, Dies at 94
Categoria: Musica
Davis was responsible for launching artists like Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow and Alicia Keys to superstardom.
Por Billboard | 22/06/2026
Clive Davis , the legendary music executive who shepherded the careers of such stars as Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow and Alicia Keys, died on Monday (June 22) at his home in New York from age-related illness. He was 94. Davis rose to prominence while serving as president of Columbia Records from 1967 to 1973, before founding his own label, Arista, where he signed Manilow and stars including Aretha Franklin, Patti Smith and Dionne Warwick, among many others. In 2000, he founded J Records, which was responsible for launching acts including Keys and Maroon 5 to superstardom. Known as “The Man With the Golden Ears,” Davis became an industry icon for helping shape the popular sound of genres including pop, rock, R&B and hip-hop during a career that spanned more than 60 years. In the process, he signed, mentored and/or worked closely with such legendary artists as Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Alan Jackson, Luther Vandross, Kenny G, Usher, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sly and the Family Stone, Rod Stewart and Jennifer Hudson. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and received a Trustees Award from the Recording Academy in 2000. “To the world, our father was the iconic music legend whose vision, instincts, and relentless pursuit of excellence shaped the soundtrack of countless lives,” said the Davis family in a statement. “He discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations. “To his family, Clive was Dad and Granddaddy, the steady presence at the center of our lives, the source of wisdom, strength, encouragement, and unconditional love. No matter how extraordinary his professional accomplishments, he never lost sight of what mattered most: the people he loved. “Through every chapter of his remarkable life, family remained Clive’s greatest pride and deepest joy. Today, we celebrate not only a towering figure whose influence changed music forever, but the 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.” Davis was born in Brooklyn on April 4, 1932, to Herman and Florence Davis, the former of whom worked as an electrician and a salesman. Though Davis went on to outlive most of his peers, his parents died while he was still a teenager, leading him to move in with his older sister, Seena, in Queens. In college, Davis attended New York University, from which he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1956, he began his music business career in the legal department of Columbia Records at age 28. In 1967, he rose to president of Columbia’s parent company CBS Records, where he signed Janis Joplin and her band Big Brother and the Holding Company after seei