MANHATTAN — BROOKLYN-BORN, GRAMMY-WINNING producer Clive Davis, who became a music industry powerhouse first at Columbia, then at Arista and J Records, died Monday in Manhattan at the age of 94, according to Variety and The New York Times. Davis shaped the careers of numerous superstars including Bruce Springsteen, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Barry Manilow and Whitney Houston. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, as a non-performer.
Born in Brooklyn on April 4, 1932, Davis attended Erasmus Hall High School as well as New York University and Harvard Law School on full scholarships. At Columbia (records) in the 60s and 70, he was one of the first to see the potential of early rock and roll, signing acts like Santana, Billy Joel, Pink Floyd and later, Patty Smith.
According to Variety, Davis’ lavish annual Grammy Week party, featuring live performances by superstars, was and still is a sought-after invitation, with regular attendees including Jane Fonda and Sen. Nancy Pelosi.
Davis was married and divorced twice, and had four children. At the age of 80, he came out as bisexual in his autobiography “The Soundtrack of My Life,” according to MTV (archived). He had recently suffered from respiratory problems, according to the Times.
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