Clive Davis, the legendary music executive and producer who helped shape the careers of some of the biggest artists in modern music history, has died. He was 94.
Davis died peacefully from an age-related illness at his home in Manhattan on Monday, June 22, according to a statement from his longtime representative Aliza Rabinoff. He was surrounded by family and loved ones.
The New York Times was first to report the news.
Davis had recently been hospitalized in New York City on May 29 and was discharged on June 4. At the time, a spokesperson said he was “in good spirits and happy to be recuperating at home.”
Following his death, Davis’ family remembered him as both a towering force in the music business and a deeply loved father and grandfather.
“To the world, our father was the iconic music legend whose vision, instincts, and relentless pursuit of excellence shaped the soundtrack of countless lives,” the family said. “He discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations.”
They added that to his family, Davis was simply “Dad and Granddaddy,” calling him a source of wisdom, strength, encouragement and unconditional love.
“No matter how extraordinary his professional accomplishments, he never lost sight of what mattered most: the people he loved,” the statement continued.
Davis, a five-time Grammy winner, held top roles at several major music labels, including Columbia Records, RCA Music Group and BMG. He founded Arista Records in 1974 and later launched J Records in 2000.
Known as the “man with the golden ears,” Davis signed, guided or championed a stunning list of artists who went on to become music icons.
At Columbia Records, where he became president in 1967, Davis helped sign and develop artists including Janis Joplin, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, The Isley Brothers and Earth, Wind & Fire.
After leaving Columbia, Davis founded Arista Records, where he helped launch or revive the careers of Barry Manilow, Patti Smith, Whitney Houston, Alan Jackson, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin and Carlos Santana.
In 1989, Davis helped form LaFace Records with L.A. Reid and Babyface, leading to the rise of artists including TLC, Toni Braxton and Pink.
In 1994, he teamed with a then-rising Sean Combs for a joint venture that created Bad Boy Records, one of the most influential hip-hop and R&B labels of the 1990s. Its roster included The Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, Mase, 112 and Combs himself.
Davis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. At the time, he was the only non-performer to receive that honor.
That same year, he launched J Records, which signed artists including Alicia Keys.
Rob Stringer, chairman of Sony Music Group, said Davis played a “seminal role” in Sony Music’s history and helped build a recorded legacy that will last.
“Not only are many, many artists we represent continuously indebted to his service but so many staff members have been influenced and mentored by his deep love and respect for our company,” Stringer said.
Davis was born on April 4, 1932, and raised in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. He earned scholarships to NYU and Harvard Law School, later telling PEOPLE, “I didn’t have money to go to school without scholarships.”
His rise in the music world began after he worked as general counsel for Columbia Records before becoming the label’s president.
His career hit a major setback in 1973 when he was fired from Columbia amid allegations involving misused funds, which he denied. Davis later said he had been made a “sacrificial lamb” and maintained that claims about him were untrue.
One year later, he started Arista Records and began one of the most remarkable second acts in music business history.
“When I started Arista, I was no longer heading the number one label in the industry,” Davis told PEOPLE in 2022. “It was a brand-new company, starting from scratch. I was hungry to be a major label.”
He did not have to wait long for success. The first record on Arista was Barry Manilow’s “Mandy,” which went to No. 1.
Davis’ influence continued for decades, and he remained a fixture at major music events, including his famous annual pre-Grammy Gala. The star-studded event was postponed in 2021 after Davis was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy.
In his 2013 memoir The Soundtrack of My Life, Davis publicly shared that he was bisexual. He said he wanted to include that part of his life because it was an important piece of his story.
“This is the story of my life,” he told PEOPLE at the time.
Davis was also known for his philanthropy. He was honored by organizations including the T.J. Martell Foundation, the Anti-Defamation League and the American Cancer Society. He also donated $5 million to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts to create the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.
The program became a groundbreaking home for future music industry leaders.
Davis is survived by his four children, Doug, Mitchell, Fred and Lauren; eight grandchildren, Austin, Charlie, Matthew, Hayley, Harper, Sloane, Billie and Cody; two great-grandchildren; his cousin Jo Schuman; and his longtime partner Greg Schriefer.
His family said they will remember not only the music legend who changed the industry forever, but the man who led their 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,” they said.