Clive Davis, the legendary music mogul behind artists like Whitney Houston and the Grateful Dead, has died. He was 94. According to USA TODAY, Davis’ longtime rep Aliza Rabinoff confirmed the famed producer’s death. She stated that he “passed away peacefully from age-related illness … surrounded by his family and loved ones.”
Davis’ official cause of death is unclear, but it came weeks after he had been hospitalized with an upper respiratory infection.
Clive Davis was famous for discovering talent like Whitney Houston and Barry Manilow
Born in Brooklyn in 1932, Clive Davis grew up in New York City and practiced law before getting into the music business. During the course of his career, he was behind some of the biggest artists of numerous decades. Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, as well as the aforementioned Whitney Houston and the Grateful Dead, are just a few.
Many of the artists Davis worked with have given him significant credit for their success. “He wanted us to at least be aware of the fact that you’re gonna say what you’re gonna say, but the presentation is going to dictate how people listen to it,” Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir said of Davis in a 2022 USA TODAY interview.
“He was older than us, so we had to take [his advice] seriously,” Weir added. “He knows art when he hears it. So that lyric, it was kind of snide, but we never meant it as derogatory.”
Barry Manilow once said that he and Clive Davis had a “decent” working relationship, but a “better one” as friends
Barry Manilow once shared that it was Davis’ faith in him that changed the course of his career. Specifically, Davis trusted Manilow when the singer made some big changes to the song “Mandy”. Initially, Davis had brought him the song as “Brandy”, and it was more of a rock tune.
“When I did my version of what we changed to ‘Mandy’ in one take with the vocal and piano and then added strings and horns and drums, that was the big moment for Clive to figuring out my strength,” Manilow told USA TODAY.
The singer then added, “It’s been a lot of arguing over the years, but we both respect each other. It’s been a decent relationship when it comes to the music. And then it’s been an even better one as friends.”
At this time, no funeral or memorial plans for Davis have been shared.
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