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Clive Davis, the record company lawyer who became one of the music industry\u2019s most powerful figures, launching or resurrecting the careers of such superstars as Janis Joplin, Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana and Alicia Keys, has died, his family confirmed. He was 94.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Davis was hospitalized following an upper respiratory issue and was released a few days later. His death, in his Manhattan apartment, was confirmed by his publicist Aliza Rabinoff, who also shared a statement from his family.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the world, our father was the iconic music legend whose vision, instincts, and relentless pursuit of excellence shaped the soundtrack of countless lives. He discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n
Unlike other record moguls whose influence waned as they got older, Davis\u2019 might only seemed to grow over his career, which spanned multiple genres and labels. Into his 80s, he was directing the careers of everyone from Barry Manilow to \u201cAmerican Idol\u201d winners Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson.<\/p>\n
His success stories were staggering, with Houston a crowning achievement and devastating tragedy: Davis signed her to his Arista record label when she was just a teen and turned her into America\u2019s reigning pop princess.<\/p>\n
Houston racked up multiple No. 1 hits and became one of the top-selling artists in pop history before drug abuse hobbled her career. She died in a Los Angeles hotel room in 2012, just hours before she was to appear at the annual pre-Grammy Awards gala hosted by Davis, who had been convinced she was turning her life around.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe I should have been more skeptical,\u201d Davis wrote in his 2013 memoir, \u201cThe Soundtrack of My Life,\u201d \u201cbut I\u2019ve always been optimistic, and I felt hopeful. It felt like old times.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also launched the career of multi-platinum, multiple-Grammy winner Keys \u2014 and was quick to note other talents he signed, including Joplin and Billy Joel, Blood Sweat & Tears and other \u201call-timers,\u201d as he so often put it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI signed Patti Smith, the great Renaissance woman \u2026 I signed Lou Reed \u2026 I signed the Grateful Dead,\u201d he proudly touted in an interview with The Associated Press in 1999.<\/p>\n
But Davis didn\u2019t simply have an eye for new talent \u2014 he also knew how to keep veterans relevant decades after their first hit. Aretha Franklin, whose legend was made at Atlantic Records, flourished in her later years at Arista, as did Luther Vandross, who made his last albums for another Davis label, J Records.<\/p>\n
It was Davis who conceived of the 1999 album \u201cSupernatural,\u201d which paired guitar god Santana with some of the day\u2019s hottest talents. The record won a record-tying eight Grammys and gave Santana more success than he had ever enjoyed in his decades-long career.<\/p>\n
He had middle aged star Rod Stewart trade in his rock hits for standards from \u201cThe Great American Songbook.\u201d The album, released in 2003, sold millions and was so successful it spawned four titles in all.<\/p>\n
Davis didn\u2019t always make the right choices; he turned down a chance to sign up Meatloaf. And he and his collaborators didn\u2019t always agree. He and producer David Foster fought bitterly over the arrangement for Houston\u2019s all-time hit, a cover of Dolly Parton\u2019s \u201cI Will Always Love You.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Manilow strongly objected to recording \u201cI Write the Songs,\u201d noting that he didn\u2019t even write the song, a Bruce Johnston ballad that became a signature hit for Manilow, who would have similar latter-day success mining the music of the 1950s, 60s and \u201970s.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s just brilliant at picking ideas he thinks the public will connect,\u201d raved Manilow, who had worked with Davis since he was a budding singer at Columbia Records.<\/p>\n
Davis also had his struggles. Though he became president of Columbia Records in 1967 after joining the label in 1960 as a lawyer, by 1973 he was gone in a bitter fallout. The label accused him of mismanagement of funds and he was fired. Although Davis says he was later cleared, it wasn\u2019t the end of his problems; he later was indicted on tax evasion charges, pleaded guilty to one count and had to pay a $10,000 fine.<\/p>\n
However, Davis would declare victory: He says Columbia gave him the money to start Arista to resolve the dispute, and the label would become a huge success with artists like country superstars Brooks & Dunn, sassy R&B group TLC, Babyface, Houston, Franklin and others.<\/p>\n
The label had huge success with a debut act \u2014 Milli Vanilli. But the male pop duo would become the embarrassment of the industry when, after winning a Grammy, it was revealed that they weren\u2019t actually singing their songs (Davis blamed the debacle on the label\u2019s European division, which he said signed them; the group was later stripped of its best new artist Grammy).<\/p>\n
In 1999, as Arista was celebrating its 25th anniversary, Davis faced another crisis: The label\u2019s then-parent company, BMG Entertainment, a division of German media conglomerate Bertelsmann, wanted him to retire; most of its executives were eased out by 60, and Davis was in his mid-60s.<\/p>\n
In 2000, despite support from his superstar roster, the company ousted him in favor of producer and songwriter Antonio \u201cL.A.\u201d Reid, who would later become chairman of Island\/Def Jam.<\/p>\n
However, instead of severing its ties with Davis, BMG helped him launch J Records in what BMG has described as the largest record company startup ever created. Vandross was one of his initial artists, along with forgettable acts like the boy-band O-Town.<\/p>\n
J Records was a success from the start, though, and only grew in stature with the arrival of a young singer named Keys, a piano-playing singer-songwriter with powerful pipes and dramatic R&B songs. Keys\u2019 albums would go on to sell millions and win several Grammys.<\/p>\n
His influence grew even more when Davis was tapped for BMG\u2019s U.S. division.<\/p>\n
He became a key backer of the careers of the winners of \u201cAmerican Idol,\u201d guiding many albums to platinum status. The show\u2019s link to Sony BMG came through a deal between Davis and 19 Recordings Unlimited, the label managed by \u201cIdol\u201d creator Simon Fuller.<\/p>\n
In 2007, however, Davis disagreed with the direction of Clarkson\u2019s \u201cMy December,\u201d and she publicly criticized him. The album was a flop, and she later apologized.<\/p>\n
In 2008, Sony BMG replaced Davis as chairman and chief executive officer of the BMG label group, giving him the title of chief creative officer.<\/p>\n
Davis, who was born on April 4, 1932, had four children. In his memoir, he confirmed longtime rumors that he was bisexual and had been living with a man in recent years.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo I feel I could have been similarly attracted to a woman?\u201d Davis wrote. \u201cThe answer is yes.\u201d<\/p>\n
His family shared a loving statement on Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough every chapter of his remarkable life, family remained Clive\u2019s greatest pride and deepest joy. Today, we celebrate not only a towering figure whose influence changed music forever, but the man who led our family with grace, generosity, and kindness. We will miss him greatly, cherish him always, and carry his love with us for the rest of our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014-<\/p>\n
Former AP writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody was the main writer of this obituary.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
#Sony #industry #starmaker #Clive #Davis #brought #Janis #Joplin #Whitney #Houston #dead<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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