Clive Davis, one of the most powerful figures in the American music industry, has died. The impresario passed away on Monday, June 22, at age 94, at his Manhattan home. He had recently been hospitalized due to upper respiratory issues.
Since his death, numerous artists have expressed their grief and admiration for Davis, including singer Dionne Warwick. “My dear friend lived a more than promised allotted time and made each moment count,” Warwick said in a statement. “I can think of no other record man that seemed to have that magical ability to know a hit when he heard a song. The entire music industry I’m sure will mourn his passing. He was one of a kind.”
Legend Stevie Wonder spoke candidly on how Davis’ death is leaving a void in the industry. “We’re losing the best while we’re keeping the worst,” Wonder told CNN.
Davis’ success as a record executive extended far beyond many of his contemporaries. Over a career that spanned five decades, his accomplishments only grew and grew as other music moguls’ reigns came and went, from Janis Joplin in the 1960s to Kelly Clarkson in the 2000s.
While Davis started his tenure with Columbia Records as a lawyer in 1960, he had an eye for talent, leading him to becoming the label’s president by 1967. His knack for spotting talent was not limited to just pop and rock acts. Davis was responsible for launching the major label careers of some of Black music’s most successful acts.
The year Davis became Columbia’s president, he signed Sly and the Family Stone to the label. The Oakland band turned out to be among the most influential music collectives in American history, crafting hit records like “Everyday People,” “Stand,” and “Family Affair.” The year 1972 saw a band named Earth, Wind & Fire trying out their new line-up of young musicians behind industry vet Maurice White. Davis noticed that this new version of the band had something special. He signed them to Columbia, and everything changed. By 1975, the Elements got their first number one Billboard Hot 100 single, “Shining Star,” and by the time their run with Columbia ended, they had six double platinum albums and six Grammy Awards.
“If it had not been for Clive it’s very possible there would not be an Earth, Wind & Fire, at least not as our story has been written,” the band said in a statement on Facebook. “We are forever grateful for the role he played in our lives.”
After his stint with Columbia, Davis founded Arista Records in 1975, as his influence and ear for talent only strengthened. It was at Arista in the 1980s when Davis signed the biggest success story in Whitney Houston. Daughter of singer Cissy Houston, Whitney had a peerless vocal range and natural aesthetic grace. Davis curated producers like Narada Michael Walden, Michael Masser, and Kashif to craft a sound that would not only be perfect canvases for her voice, but appeal to a massive audience of music lovers. Houston’s longtime collaboration with Davis led to 11 number-one Billboard Hot 100 singles and three diamond certified albums. Houston is arguably the jewel of Davis’ legacy, although things ended tragically when Houston died in 2012, hours before one of Davis’ pre-Grammy showcases.
Davis was well-known for having an eye for artists, but he had an eye for others who had an eye for artists. By the early 1980s, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Antonio “LA” Reid, one of the hottest production duos of the time, wanted to form their own label. Davis helped them achieve that goal, partnering with the former Deele members to form LaFace Records. With Arista handling distribution, Davis likened LaFace to a new Motown, and he wasn’t far off. LaFace launched the careers of Toni Braxton, Usher, TLC, and Outkast. Davis also mentored Reid, who himself became a fiercely successful executive at Motown, Epic, and Def Jam.
After decades of hits at Arista Records, Davis moved on to found J Records in 2000. Davis knew he needed a young talent to be the face of the label as Houston was for Arista. He found that in Alicia Keys, a gifted singer / songwriter / pianist from New York City. His efforts helped make Keys’ first album, 2001’s “Songs in A Minor,” a five-time Grammy winning triumph. Keys’ success helped legitimize J Records, and Davis went on to add Angie Stone, Jamie Foxx, and Tyrese to the roster.
Finding new talent wasn’t the only thing Davis excelled at. He also was great at rejuvenating careers of proven acts, such as Aretha Franklin. After dominating the charts from late 1960s to the mid-1970s, The Queen of Soul’s reign was on a downturn. Enter Clive Davis, who signed her to his Arista Records. Davis envisioned a more sleek sonic makeover for Franklin for the 1980s, and helped her gain a new audience with pop hits like “Who’s Zoomin’ Who,” “Freeway of Love,” and her number one duet with George Michael, “I Knew You Were Waiting For Me.”
It was under Davis that Luther Vandross gained a new young audience at J Records with songs like “Take You Out Tonight,” before earning his first number-one album with “Dance with My Father.” Carlos Santana was signed to Davis when his album “Supernatural” proved that the longtime rock icon was far from done, with the album winning eight Grammy Awards in 1999.
Now, Davis, like most successful record executives, was a polarizing figure. While many artists are honoring his memory, several music fans on social media are reveling in his death, due to how he treated certain artists (i.e. Phyllis Hyman) and fostered an industry that segregated R&B and pop in damaging ways by inspiring the institution of Black divisions at major labels.
For all his achievements, Davis did not have a spotless career. He missed out on opportunities to sign big acts like Meat Loaf, and clashed with artists and producers often. One such infamous incident came when Davis disagreed with producer David Foster over the arrangement of Houston’s Dolly Parton cover. He and Arista signee Phyllis Hyman fought over her sound and direction. According to TVOne’s “Unsung,” Davis did not support Hyman’s decision to join the cast of Broadway’s “Sophisticated Ladies,” for which she would earn a Tony Award nomination.
While Davis had success everywhere he went, he often left labels under acrimonious circumstances. He started Arista Records after Columbia Records fired him over accusations of money mismanagemnt (he was later cleared, and Columbia gave him the money to start Arista). When he founded J Records, it came after Arista’s parent company, BMG Entertainment, ousted him, in his mid-60s at the time, and other older executives from leadership positions. He would later become chairman at Sony BMG overseeing its U.S. division. He guided the careers of “American Idol” winners like Clarkson, Fantasia, and Carry Underwood before transitioning from chairman to chief creative officer.
Davis, who had four children, leaves behind a legacy of music business success.
— with reporting from Associated Press writers Maria Sherman and Nekesa Mumbi Moody.
Clive Davis trained Diddy handler? Who else had the power to rid those cameras of “Whitney’s drowning in a bathtub and no water was found in her lungs.” Nancy Grace lawyer who shared the autopsy report! Sic