Legendary music executive Clive Davis was laid to rest Monday at a private funeral after a service at Central Synagogue in Manhattan celebrating the life of the five-time Grammy Award-winner.
Davis, 94, died at his Manhattan home on June 22 of an age-related illness, according to his publicist.
Davis helped the careers of generations of artists. He worked with a who’s-who of iconic artists, including Janis Joplin, Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Simon and Garfunkel, Barry Manilow, Barbra Streisand, Earth Wind and Fire, Patti Smith and Billy Joel. Later in his career, his roster included Alicia Keys, Notorious B.I.G., Luther Vandross and more.
“Brave and full of ideas”
Many attended the service Monday morning and took the podium in tears.
“There are moments in life that feel like they were written before you ever live them so that something extraordinary can be born. Meeting you was one of those moments for me,” Alicia Keys said.
Bruce Springsteen described Davis as “bombastic, brave and full of ideas.”
Jennifer Hudson also emotionally performed a special tribute, including Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.”
“Championed the greatest artists”
Davis’ impact on popular music spanned genres, from jazz to rock, country, hip-hop, R&B – the list goes on.
“He discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations,” Davis’ family said in a statement when he died.
Davis, a Brooklyn native, was born in 1932. Both of his parents died when he was a teenager. He told “CBS Sunday Morning” in 2011 that he learned the importance of hard work early.
“There was no substitute for hard work. You had to earn it. I earned every scholarship that I had to get me through law school as well as college,” Davis said at the time.
He went on to graduate from NYU and Harvard Law School, and his entry into the music business by working as an attorney for Columbia Records. By 1967, he was running Columbia Records.
Davis’ sons said he already started planning the Grammys party for 2027, and they intend to make it the best one yet, in his honor.
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