Clive Davis, the legendary music mogul whose ear for talent shaped generations of popular music, has died. He was 94. Davis passed away Monday at his home in New York City. The cause of death is unclear, but he had been hospitalized just weeks ago with an upper respiratory infection before being discharged on June 4.
Davis’s career spanned more than six decades. He signed or championed some of the biggest names in music history: Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Barry Manilow, and countless others. He founded Arista Records in 1974 and later launched J Records. He also partnered with Sean Combs to create Bad Boy Records.
Davis was known as “the man with golden ears” for his ability to spot unknowns and turn them into superstars. He attended the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and signed Janis Joplin that very night. He discovered Whitney Houston performing as a backup singer for her mother and helped guide her to become one of the best-selling artists of all time. Aretha Franklin once called him “the greatest record man of all time”.
Davis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. The 200-seat theater at the Grammy Museum is named after him. His annual pre-Grammy gala became one of the most coveted invitations in show business. He also donated $5 million to NYU to establish the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.
Born in Brooklyn in 1932, Davis studied political science at NYU and graduated from Harvard Law School before joining Columbia Records as a contract lawyer. He became president of the label in 1967. He remained active in the music industry well into his 90s, serving as chief creative officer of Sony Music Entertainment until his death. He is survived by four children.
