Clive Davis, the record executive who discovered and guided the careers of Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, and Bruce Springsteen, has died at the age of 94.
Over a career spanning more than six decades, Davis served as president of Columbia Records, founded Arista Records, and held the role of chief creative officer at Sony Music Entertainment. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 as a non-performer.
His work shaped the sound of popular music through a roster that included:
- Whitney Houston
- Aretha Franklin
- Barry Manilow
- Aerosmith
- Billy Joel
- Santana
- Alicia Keys
- The Grateful Dead
- The Notorious B.I.G.
Davis led Columbia Records from 1967 to 1973. He later founded Arista Records, where he signed Houston, the Grateful Dead, and the Notorious B.I.G., among others. His final executive post was chief creative officer of Sony Music Entertainment.
At a pre-Grammy event, President Barack Obama said in a video message, “Most people don’t realize how much the music they love was shaped by one man.”
In his memoir, The Soundtrack of My Life, Davis wrote, “What is patently clear is that openness in all areas of life is an important component of happiness and success.”
No cause of death was immediately disclosed.
