Music Producer Clive Davis Dies at 94

Legendary music producer Clive Davis — who helped the careers of Janis Joplin and Whitney Houston to Billy Joel and Santana — has died. He was 94. Davis, dubbed “the man with the golden ears,” was remembered by his…

Sandra RhodesJun 22, 20262 min read

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Davis was hospitalized in late May for an upper respiratory issue, Rolling Stone reported. He was discharged earlier this month.

The Brooklyn-born Davis graduated from Harvard Law School and became a lawyer before going to work for Columbia Records in 1960. Just five years later, Davis rose to be the record label’s top lawyer and was soon named Columbia’s president.

“I was thrust into it,” he told CNN in 2013. “Never knowing I had a natural ear and gift for Music that,” he said, “would become the passion of my life.”

Davis’ first major signing was Janis Joplin.

Davis described Joplin’s stage presence as “not conventionally beautiful,” but “her body seemed to vibrate with the modulations of her voice, which struck with equal impact whether she was wailing at the top of her lungs or delivering an intimate whisper.”

He went on to sign eventual megastars like Bruce Springsteen, Carlos Santana, Chicago, Earth, Wind and Fire, Aerosmith and Barry Manilow.

Billy Joel was struggling as a recording artist when Davis signed him in 1973. “Piano Man” was Joel’s first album at Columbia and led to superstardom.

In the 1980s, Davis discovered 19-year-old pop sensation Whitney Houston.

Their collaboration led to a record-setting seven consecutive No. 1 singles, including “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.”

Davis married twice and had four children.

In his 2013 book, he revealed he was bisexual, adding he explored this after the failure of his second marriage.

“I opened myself up to the possibility of having a relationship with a person, rather than a gender,” he said.