Clive Davis has been admitted to a hospital in New York City due to an upper respiratory condition, as confirmed by a representative for the music mogul to Rolling Stone. According to TMZ, Davis was hospitalized on Friday evening and is anticipated to be discharged within the next 48 hours.
The 94-year-old supermogul has encountered health challenges previously. In 2021, his renowned annual Pre-Grammy Gala, which has taken place the night before the ceremony every year since 1975, was postponed following his diagnosis of Bell’s Palsy, a serious yet temporary condition that results in sudden weakness of facial muscles.
Who is Clive Davis?
Davis, recognized as one of the leading music executives in the industry for over fifty years, has collaborated with and nurtured the careers of numerous artists, including Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Carlos Santana, Janis Joplin, Alicia Keys, Carrie Underwood, and many others.
After entering the industry in the early Sixties and becoming president of Columbia Records in 1967 at the age of 35, Davis, often referred to as the man with the “golden ears,” has achieved success across various musical eras. In a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone regarding The Soundtrack of Our Lives, a documentary chronicling his impressive 50-plus-year career, Davis expressed his enduring passion for music. “I’m immersed in it,” he stated. “I believe music is the universal language.”
{{/usCountry}}After entering the industry in the early Sixties and becoming president of Columbia Records in 1967 at the age of 35, Davis, often referred to as the man with the “golden ears,” has achieved success across various musical eras. In a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone regarding The Soundtrack of Our Lives, a documentary chronicling his impressive 50-plus-year career, Davis expressed his enduring passion for music. “I’m immersed in it,” he stated. “I believe music is the universal language.”
{{/usCountry}}Looking ahead to the future and his forthcoming endeavors, Davis remarked, “Right now I’m very involved in working to really prove a point: In the current state of music, and with the health restored in the industry, we have to address not only where the next Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen is coming from but also where is the next Aretha Franklin or Whitney Houston coming from.” He added. “It can’t take place in such a dominating way that it obscures the great new voices.”
A look at Clive Davis's career
In 1974, Davis assumed control of the record division at Columbia Pictures and established his own label, Arista, which gained prominence for artists like "Barry Manilow" and "Whitney Houston." In 2000, he was ousted from Arista by the parent company BMG, but shortly thereafter, he founded a new label, J, which was distributed by BMG.
"In 1994, Davis and Sean “Puffy” Combs entered into a 50/50 joint venture that led to the creation of Bad Boy Records, whose artist roster grew to include The Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, Mase, 112, and Combs himself. Alongside LaFace Records, Bad Boy became the most successful hip‑hop and rap label of the 1990s," according to Clive Davis' website.