Clive Davis, a music mogul and producer who signed Whitney Houston, has died aged 94.
His family confirmed to The New York Times that he died in his home in Manhattan on Monday, after a recent hospitalisation over respiratory problems.
Davis was admitted to a New York City hospital for upper respiratory issues on May 29 but was sent home to recuperate days later.
At the time, a representative said the former label executive was in ‘good spirits and happy to be recuperating at home’.
This wasn’t the only health issue Davis had suffered recently, as in 2021 his annual Pre-Grammy Gala – held since 1975 – was postponed due to his Bell’s Palsy diagnosis.
Davis worked in the music industry for over 50 years, having got his start as a lawyer before quickly climbing the ranks.
Born in Brooklyn in April 1932, he landed a full scholarship at Harvard and began working for a prominent New York law firm.
In 1960, he moved to Columbia Records as assistant counsel. Within five years, he was administrative VP, and by ’67 he was president of the label.
He revolutionised the label, known for its pop offerings at the time, into a place championing emerging rock, including Janis Joplin and Santana.
Other talent soon followed, with Columbia becoming a real competitor to Warner Bros. as it signed the likes of Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, Pink Floyd, and Bruce Springsteen.
Davis then found himself in a sharp fall from grace in 1973, having been investigated by the feds and fired for misappropriating $94,000 (£70k) of label money.
Two years later, he published an autobiography, Clive: Inside the Record Business, but then found himself charged with six counts of federal income tax evasion.
He pleaded guilty to one count of failure to pay taxes, paid a $10,000 fine and the other charges were dropped.
Despite the money issues, his reputation for finding talent gave him a way back into the industry as he was given three of Columbia Pictures’ failing endevours, which were combined into Arista Records.
The deal came with artists like Barry Manilow already attached, who scored a hit with Mandy – a first for this new label.
Patti Smith’s Because the Night with Springsteen followed, boosting Arista’s reputation, as well as established artists like Aretha Franklin and the Grateful Dead joining.
However, it was Davis’ determination to make a star out of one 19-year-old girl that cemented the legacy.
In 1983, Whitney Houston signed with the label. She went on to create several commercial and critical successes for Arista and Davis.
From here, Davis continued to work with stars throughout the 00s before founding another label (J Records), which came with $150million seed money from BMG’s boss.
J Records became the home for Alicia Keys, Leona Lewis and helped resurrect Rod Stewart’s spotlight with the Great American Songbook series.
Over his extensive career, Davis held positions at major labels such as BMG, Sony, Columbia and the now folded Arista and J Records.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer in 2000s and also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
As for his personal life, the media mogul was married and divorced twice and came out as bisexual at the age of 80 while on Katie Couric’s show in 2013.
Speaking about his ‘failed marriage’ in the 80s, he shared: ‘I opened myself up to the possibility that I could have a relationship with a man as well as the two that I had with a woman.
‘I’m still attracted to women … You don’t have to be only one thing or another. For me, it’s the person.’
Davis is survived by his three sons – Fred, Mitchell, and Doug, who all work in the music industry – and his daughter, Lauren, who is an entertainment lawyer.