Music Mogul Clive Davis Shaped Generations of Stars

Clive Davis, the record executive whose ear for talent reshaped popular music for half a century, died Monday at his New York City home. He was 94. His longtime representative said he died peacefully of age-related illness, surrounded by family. Davis, who battled various health issues in recent years, remained professionally active into his 90s, still hosting the star-crammed pre-Grammy gala that often rivaled the main event, Rolling Stone reports. A lawyer-turned-label boss, Davis became president of Columbia Records in 1967, at age 35, and became an early champion of rock, signing Janis Joplin, Santana, Pink Floyd, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and more, reports Rolling Stone.

He later built Arista Records into a powerhouse, specializing in reviving the careers of artists whose careers seemed to be past their peaks, including Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, and Aerosmith, Deadline reports. He discovered and mentored the artist most closely tied to his legacy, Whitney Houston, whom he called "the greatest contemporary singer of all time." At Arista, he also signed Barry Manilow, the Grateful Dead, and the Kinks, among many others. His career later included hits with Alicia Keys and the Notorious BIG, along with American Idol winners like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. His last position was chief creative officer of Sony Music Entertainment.

• "He's the ultimate long-term player," Jon Landau, Bruce Springsteen's manager, told Rolling Stone in 2008. "He was a label head in the 1960s. He was on top then, and now, 40 years later, is still on top—that's remarkable. I do not think you'll see that happen again."

Davis, who grew up in Brooklyn, went to NYU and Harvard Law on scholarships. Fired from Columbia amid a scandal in 1973, he was later exonerated of major wrongdoing and went on to amass both clout and wealth with Arista and J Records. In his 2013 memoir, he came out as bisexual, saying, "You don't have to be only one thing or another." He is survived by his four children, including concert promoter Mitch Davis, and partner Greg Schriefer.

• In 2017, when he was 85, Davis told the New York Times that he was still searching for hits for the artists on his roster. "I still love it," he said. "Whether it's doing those albums, or doing my Grammy party every year, it's a great feeling. I got into this totally by luck, and it's just wonderfully fulfilling."