Clive Davis

Clive Davis is a record executive, producer and titan of the music industry best known for discovering, developing and guiding the careers of some of the most influential artists. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Davis later moved to Queens before going on to attend New York University. He also earned a law degree from Harvard Law School. After beginning his career as an attorney at a small firm, he joined Columbia Records’ legal department at age 28, setting the stage for his rise in the music business.

Davis’ career took off in the 1960s when he became president of Columbia Records. During his tenure, he helped expand the label’s roster and played a key role in shaping the careers of major artists across multiple genres. After leaving Columbia, he founded Arista Records in 1974 and later launched J Records in 2000, cementing his reputation as one of the most influential executives in music history.

Over the course of his career, Davis worked with artists including Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Barry Manilow, Jennifer Hudson, Carlos Santana and Janis Joplin. He has earned four Grammy Awards as a producer and was awarded the Grammy Trustees Award and the Recording Academy’s President’s Merit Award. His life and career were chronicled in the memoir The Soundtrack of My Life (2013) and the documentary Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives (2017).

Davis was married to Helen Cohen from 1956 to 1965 and later wed Janet Adelberg from 1965 to 1985. He is the father of four children: Fred Davis (born in 1957), Lauren Davis (born in 1961), Mitchell Davis (born in 1970) and Doug Davis (born in 1974). In his 2013 memoir, Davis revealed that he was bisexual.

Davis died on June 22, 2026, at age 94.