Music industry legend Clive Davis, who helped launch the careers of artists including Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen and Whitney Houston, has died at the age of 94.
Record mogul Clive Davis is pictured in his New York office, Sep 10, 1980. (Photo: AP/Marty Reichenthal)
23 Jun 2026 05:09AM
WASHINGTON: Clive Davis, the pioneering American music executive and producer who made megastars of Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston and many others during half a century of shaping modern culture, died Monday (Jun 22) aged 94, his family said.The industry insider embraced genres from rock & roll and jazz to early hip-hop and pop, often signing little-known acts - Barry Manilow among them - who rose to superstardom.Davis possessed an unwavering enthusiasm for music since before he took over as Columbia Records president in 1967, eventually leaving a lasting mark on popular culture."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," the Davis family said in a statement on X.It did not mention a cause of death, but Rolling Stone magazine reported Davis had been hospitalized in late May following an upper respiratory issue.The family described Davis as a music visionary, whose instincts and relentless pursuit of excellence - and hits - "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."
