Clive Davis, the executive who steered Columbia, Arista and J Records to the pinnacle of the pop music business, died Monday. He was 94.

The record executive was instrumental in shepherding the successful careers of a number of monumental music stars, including Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, Janis Joplin,…

He signed Janis Joplin to kickstart his career, made Bruce Springsteen and Whitney Houston household names and carried Carlos Santana and Aretha Franklin to newfound fame.