NEW YORK—Music executive Clive Davis, who is known for launching the careers of singers like Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Janis Joplin and Bruce Springsteen to name a few, died on Monday, June 22. The music legend died in Manhattan at the age of 94. No official cause of death has been announced for Davis, who was previously hospitalized a few weeks ago for an upper respiratory infection at a New York hospital.
Davis was a famed A&R executive and record producer, who is responsible for the success behind the signing of musicians like Barry Manilow, Pink Floyd, Santana, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, including the notable talent of Houston.
He was born in Brooklyn, New York in April 1932, and attended New York University where he earned a degree in political science and attended Harvard Law School and earned his law degree in 1956. He worked for Columbia Records for years signing musical talent. In 1972, he signed Earth, Wind & Fire. In 1973, Davis was fired from CBS Records for allegedly misusing company funds, a claim the music executive denied.
Other big names Clive signed while at Arista records included Kenny G, Taylor Dayne, while founding LaFace Records alongside L.A. Reid and Babyface where big names like Usher, Toni Braxton, TLC and P!nk were signed to.
Davis was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He was known by many in the industry for hosting his famed pre-Grammy gala the weekend before the annual Grammy Awards ceremony hosted by the Recording Academy of Music. He won a total of 4 Grammy Awards during his career, and was married twice, and has four children, Fred, Lauren, Mitchell and Doug and has eight grandchildren.
