Clive Davis, music industry starmaker, has died at 94

NEW YORK (AP) — Clive Davis, the record company lawyer who became one of the music industry's 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.

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.

“To 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,” the statement read.

Unlike other record moguls whose influence waned as they got older, Davis' might only seemed to grow, spanning multiple genres and labels. Into his later years, he was directing the careers of everyone from Barry Manilow to “American Idol” winners Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson. And his exclusive pre-Grammys gala, held the Saturday night before the Sunday award show every year since 1975, continued to be an institution.

“Clive’s talent has always been seeing and hearing what other people don’t,” former President Barack Obama said in a video message played at this year’s gala.

Clive Jay Davis was born on April 4, 1932 in Brooklyn, New York, where he grew up in the Crown Heights neighborhood. His father was electrician and traveling salesman. He attended New York University, and while in school, both of his parents — his father Herman and his mother Florence died. Later, he attended Harvard Law School, eventually leading to a job as an in-house lawyer at Columbia Records.

Davis always had a knack for business, and by 1967, became president of the company, just seven years after being hired as an attorney. He cited attending the Monterey International Pop Festival that year as pivotal; it eventually led him to bringing Bruce Springsteen, Springsteen, Chicago, Neil Diamond and many other groups to the label — bringing a counterculture spirit to a company that had resisted rock ‘n’ roll.

Davis took big swings in the music industry, particularly in his support for Black artists, beginning when he signed Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International Records in 1971.

In 2015, the NAACP recognized Davis for his groundbreaking work by presenting him with the Vanguard Award. And last summer, Davis was presented with the Apollo Theater’s Apollo Legacy Award and inducted onto its Walk of Fame.

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's reigning pop princess.

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.

“Maybe I should have been more skeptical,” Davis wrote in his 2013 memoir, “The Soundtrack of My Life,” “but I’ve always been optimistic, and I felt hopeful. It felt like old times.”

He also launched the career of multi-platinum, multiple-Grammy winner Keys — and was quick to note other talents he signed, including Joplin and Billy Joel, Blood Sweat & Tears and other “all-timers,” as he so often put it.

“I signed Patti Smith, the great Renaissance woman ... I signed Lou Reed ... I signed the Grateful Dead,” he proudly touted in an interview with The Associated Press in 1999.

He also signed the then up-and-coming producer Sean “Diddy” Combs to a label deal with his Bad Boy Records. Under Davis, the label would have some of its biggest successes, most notably with late rap icon the Notorious B.I.G. That was long before the hip-hop mogul Diddy would be incarcerated, convicted of violating the federal Mann Act, which bans transporting people across state lines for any sexual crime.

Davis didn't simply have an eye for new talent — 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.

It was Davis who conceived of the 1999 album “Supernatural,” which paired guitar god Santana with some of the day's 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.

And he had middle aged star Rod Stewart trade in his rock hits for standards from “The Great American Songbook.” The album, released in 2003, sold millions and was so successful it spawned four titles in all.

Davis didn’t always make the right choices; he turned down a chance to sign up Meatloaf. And he and his collaborators didn’t always agree.

He and producer David Foster fought bitterly over the arrangement for Houston’s all-time hit, a cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” Davis won that fight — and the song was published with its iconic a capella intro.

And Manilow strongly objected to recording “I Write the Songs,” noting that he didn’t 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 '70s.

“He's just brilliant at picking ideas he thinks the public will connect,” raved Manilow, who had worked with Davis since he was a budding singer at Columbia Records.

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't 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.

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.

The label had huge success with a debut act — 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't actually singing their songs (Davis blamed the debacle on the label's European division, which he said signed them; the group was later stripped of its best new artist Grammy).

In 1999, as Arista was celebrating its 25th anniversary, Davis faced another crisis: The label's 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.

In 2000, despite support from his superstar roster, the company ousted him in favor of producer and songwriter Antonio “L.A.” Reid, who would later become chairman of Island/Def Jam.

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.

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' albums would go on to sell millions and win several Grammys.

His influence grew even more when Davis was tapped for BMG's U.S. division.

He became a key backer of the careers of the winners of “American Idol,” guiding many albums to platinum status. The show's link to Sony BMG came through a deal between Davis and 19 Recordings Unlimited, the label managed by “Idol” creator Simon Fuller.

In 2007, however, Davis disagreed with the direction of Clarkson's “My December,” and she publicly criticized him. The album was a flop, and she later apologized.

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.

He was serving as worldwide chief creative officer at Sony Music Entertainment up until his death.

In his memoir, Davis confirmed longtime rumors that he was bisexual and had been living with a man in recent years.

“Do I feel I could have been similarly attracted to a woman?” Davis wrote. “The answer is yes.”

He is survived by his four children, sons Fred, Doug and Mitchell, daughter Lauren, and his eight grandchildren Austin, Charlie, Matthew, Hayley, Harper, Sloane, Billie and Cody, two great grandchildren, cousin Jo Schuman and partner Greg Schriefer.

His family shared a loving statement on Monday.

“Through every chapter of his remarkable life, family remained Clive’s 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.”

—-

Former AP writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody was the main writer of this obituary.

FILE - Clive Davis, left, and Usher appear at Davis' 2005 pre Grammy party in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Feb. 12, 2005. (AP Photo/Chris Polk, File)

FILE - Record mogul Clive Davis is pictured in his New York office, Sept. 10, 1980. (AP Photo/Marty Reichenthal, File)

FILE - Clive Davis, left, appears with Aretha Franklin at Aretha's 69th birthday party, in New York, Friday, March 25, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File)

FILE - Bobby Brown, left, and Whitney Houston appear with music producer Clive Davis, right, at a pre-Grammy party in New York on Feb. 24, 1998. (AP Photo/Stuart Ramson, File)

FILE - Music producer Clive Davis attends the special screening of "Western Stars" at Metrograph in New York on Oct. 16, 2019. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Music producer Berry Gordy, right, appears with Clive Davis during Davis' Pre-Grammy Party in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Feb. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok, File)

FILE - Carlos Santana, left, and producer Clive Davis pose with their Grammys at the 42nd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, on Feb. 23, 2000. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)

FILE - Clive Davis kisses the hand of Diana Ross at his annual pre- grammy party at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Saturday Feb. 12, 2005. (AP Photo/Chris Polk)

FILE - Music producer Clive Davis, left, appears with singer Whitney Houston at the pre-Grammy gala in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Feb. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)

FILE - Sony Music Entertainment's Chief Creative Officer and famous hitmaker Clive Davis posing for a portrait in his office in New York on Feb. 18, 2013. (Photo by Dan Hallman/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Record mogul Clive Davis is pictured in his New York office, Sept. 10, 1980. (AP Photo/Marty Reichenthal, File)

FILE - Clive Davis, chief creative officer of Sony Music, appears during press day in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 23, 2014, prior to Davis' annual pre-Grammy gala. (Photo by Casey Curry/Invision/AP, File

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are drifting near their records in mixed trading Monday after trading resumed following a three-day weekend for Wall Street.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.3%, coming off its 11th winning week in the last 12, and pulled 1.7% below its all-time high set early this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 164 points, or 0.3%, as of 1:29 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.2% lower.

In the oil market, prices eased following talks over the weekend between the United States and Iran on their war. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said they created a “good foundation for a successful final deal.”

An end to the war could clear the Strait of Hormuz for oil tankers and allow for the undisputed resumption of deliveries from the Persian Gulf. Iran’s military had said Saturday that it closed the Strait of Hormuz again, though U.S. Central Command has disputed that.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil fell 3.6% to $77.70, closer to its roughly $70 price from before the war. Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 2.7% to $74.55 per barrel.

The lower oil prices, though, did not pull down Treasury yields in the bond market. Yields have been climbing because of speculation that the Federal Reserve may have to hike interest rates this year in order to keep a lid on inflation, which has been accelerating because of expensive oil caused by the Iran war. Economists expect a report on Thursday to show a measure of inflation for U.S. consumers sped up to 4.1% in May from 3.8% in April.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.51% from 4.46% late Thursday and from just 3.97% before the war.

Traders are betting on a 90% chance the Fed will raise its federal funds rate at least once by the end of the year, with a small minority calling for four increases. That’s up from the 57% chance seen just a week ago, according to data from CME Group.

High yields in bond markets worldwide caused by worries about inflation are threatening to slow economies and have already sent rates higher for mortgages and other kinds of loans. High yields also hurt prices for investments, particularly those seen as the most expensive. That raises the pressure on companies that have soared in the mania around artificial-intelligence technology.

SpaceX fell 10.7% to drop toward $165. It’s heading toward a third straight loss following a big three-day run since its ballyhooed debut on the U.S. stock market, when it initially sold its stock at $135 per share.

Elsewhere on Wall Street, AbbVie climbed 7.1% after saying it agreed to buy Apogee Therapeutics and its potential treatments for patients with dermatologic, respiratory and other related inflammatory and immunological diseases. Apogee Therapeutics soared 46.7% following the announcement of the deal, valued at roughly $10.9 billion.

In stock markets abroad, the United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 rose 0.7% after Keir Starmer said he was stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party and will leave office within weeks.

In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.5% and ended at another all-time high, led by AI stocks. South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.7% to its own record, helped by AI-related companies.

AP Business Writers Chan Ho-him and Matt Ott and AP Senior Producer Mayuko Ono contributed to this report.

Options trader Joseph D'Arrigo works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Options trader Doran Swan works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A currency trader passes by a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Currency traders work at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Currency traders watch monitors near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Currency traders work at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)