Editing Clive Davis (section)

== Career ==
{{BLP sources section|date=May 2019}}

=== Columbia/CBS Records years ===
Davis practiced law in a small firm in New York,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clive Davis {{!}} Interview {{!}} American Masters {{!}} PBS |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/archive/interview/clive-davis/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=American Masters |language=en-US}}</ref> then moved on to the firm of [[Rosenman & Colin|Rosenman, Colin, Kaye, Petschek, and Freund]] two years later, where partner Ralph Colin had [[CBS]] as a client.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Milano |first=Brett |title=The legendary Clive Davis on music, law and luck |url=https://hls.harvard.edu/today/the-legendary-clive-davis-on-music-law-and-luck/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Harvard Law School |language=en-us}}</ref> Davis was subsequently hired by a former colleague at the firm, Harvey Schein, to become assistant counsel of CBS subsidiary [[Columbia Records]] at age 28, and then general counsel the following year.<ref>Dannen, Fredric (1990). ''Hit Men''. [[Times Books]]. pp. 66–67; {{ISBN|0-8129-1658-1}}</ref>

As part of a reorganization of Columbia Records Group, group president [[Goddard Lieberson]] appointed Davis as administrative vice president and general manager in 1965.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sCgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA3|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|title=Columbia Reshuffles Brass; Gallagher, Davis Promoted|page=3|date=August 7, 1965 |access-date=January 2, 2024}}</ref> In 1966, CBS formed the Columbia-CBS Group which reorganized CBS's recorded music operations into [[Sony Music|CBS Records]] with Davis heading the new unit.<ref name=Billboard1966>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0igEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA10|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|title=Lieberson to Helm Group; Other Changes Made in the CBS Guard|page=10|date=June 18, 1966|access-date=January 2, 2024}}</ref>

The next year, Davis was appointed president and became interested in the newest generation of [[folk rock]] and [[rock and roll]]. One of his earliest pop signings was the British folk-rock musician [[Donovan]], who enjoyed a string of successful hit singles and albums released in the U.S. on the [[Epic Records]] label.  That same year, Davis hired 23-year-old recording artist [[Tony Orlando]] as general manager of Columbia publishing subsidiary [[April-Blackwood Music]]; Orlando went on to become vice-president of Columbia/CBS Music and signed [[Barry Manilow]] in 1969.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-tony-orlando-knock-three-times-arcada-theatre-20150723-story.html|title=Tony Orlando still hasn't needed that backup career option, despite his mother's advice|first=Steve|last=Knopper|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=July 23, 2015 |access-date=March 21, 2018}}</ref>

In June 1967, Davis attended the [[Monterey Pop Festival]] after his friends and business associate, [[Lou Adler]], convinced him.{{sfn|Davis|2013|pp=64–69, 125}} He immediately signed [[Janis Joplin]] with [[Big Brother and the Holding Company]], and Columbia went on to sign [[Laura Nyro]], [[The Electric Flag]], [[Carlos Santana|Santana]], [[The Chambers Brothers]], [[Bruce Springsteen]], [[Chicago (band)|Chicago]], [[Billy Joel]]; [[Blood, Sweat & Tears]], [[Loggins and Messina]], [[Aerosmith]], and [[Pink Floyd]] (for rights to release their material outside of Europe).{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}  

One of the most commercially successful recordings released during Davis' tenure at Columbia was [[Lynn Anderson]]'s ''[[Rose Garden (album)|Rose Garden]]'', in late 1970. It was Davis who insisted that "Rose Garden" be the country singer's next single release. The song crossed over and was a No. 1 hit in 16 countries worldwide. "Rose Garden" remained the biggest-selling album by a female country artist for 27 years.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

In 1972, Davis signed [[Earth, Wind & Fire]] to Columbia Records. One of his most recognized accomplishments was signing the [[Boston]] group [[Aerosmith]] to Columbia Records in the early 1970s at New York City's [[Max's Kansas City]]. The accomplishment was mentioned in the 1979 Aerosmith song "No Surprize", in which [[Steven Tyler]] sings, "Old Clive Davis said he's surely gonna make us a star, I'm gonna make you a star, just the way you are."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.maxskansascity.com/aerosmith/ | title = Aerosmith Biography: From Clive Davis to Guitar Hero: Aerosmith | date = September 26, 2008 | access-date = September 26, 2008 | publisher=[[Max's Kansas City]]| archive-date = September 19, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080919130031/http://www.maxskansascity.com/aerosmith/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> Starting on December 30, 1978,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/gd78-12-30.sbd.miller.18092.sbeok.shnf |title=Grateful Dead Live at Pauley Pavilion, UCLA on 1978-12-30; Reviews: reviewers Augy and DeadRed1971|via=[[Internet Archive]]|date=December 30, 1978 |access-date=July 28, 2010}}{{better source needed|date=January 2024}}</ref> Bob Weir of the [[Grateful Dead]] occasionally changed the lyrics of the Dead standard "[[Jack Straw (song)|Jack Straw]]" in concert from "we used to play for silver, now we play for life", to "we used to play for acid, now we play for Clive."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dead.net/song/jack-straw |title=Jack Straw |date=March 20, 2007 |access-date=September 25, 2013}}</ref>

One of the last bands Davis tried to sign to Columbia Records was the Detroit band [[Death (Detroit band)|Death]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2009/feb/09/detroit-band-death|title=Death: The Detroit band that never sold out|last=Bliss|first=Abi|date=February 9, 2009|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=November 21, 2017}}</ref>

A ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' article dated July 5, 1973 reported that CBS fired Clive Davis "amid allegations of misuse of funds and providing drugs to artists and disk jockeys" as part of an alleged [[payola]] scandal.<ref name="rs1"/>

=== Arista years ===
{{BLP sources section|date=August 2019}}
After Davis was fired from CBS Records in 1973 for allegedly using company funds to bankroll his son's [[bar mitzvah]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/clive-davis |title=Clive Davis: Information from |publisher=Answers.com |access-date=July 28, 2010}}</ref><ref name=Billboard1966 /><ref>{{cite news|title=Let CBS Tell Its Own Ugly Story|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NshHAAAAIBAJ&pg=944,2963654&dq=clive+davis+cbs+records&hl=en|via=[[Google News]]|quote=Beginning what may be the second most massive cover-up of the past months, CBS fired its records division president, Clive Davis ...|agency=[[The New York Times]] News Service|newspaper=[[Record-Journal]]|location=Meriden, Connecticut|date=June 22, 1973|access-date=January 2, 2024}}</ref><ref name="rs1">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/clive-davis-ousted-payola-coverup-charged-37191/|title=Clive Davis Ousted from Columbia; Payola Coverup Charged|first1=Ben|last1=Fong-Torres|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=July 5, 1973}}</ref> [[Columbia Pictures]] then hired him to be a consultant for the company's [[Bell Records]] label. Davis took time out to write his memoirs and then founded [[Arista Records]] in 1974.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/04/24/archives/clives-comeback-fired-four-years-ago-by-cbs-clive-davis-is-setting.html|title=Clive's Comeback|first=Geoffrey|last=Stokes|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 24, 1977}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2000/02/clive-david-bmg-entertainment-ceo-strauss-zelnick|title=Clive Davis Fights Back|first=Robert Sam|last=Anson|magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|date=February 2, 2000}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesbulletin.com/Content/News/Community-News/Article/Clive-Davis-impact-on-music/2/1170/222297|title=Clive Davis' impact on music|website=timesbulletin.com}}</ref> The company was named after New York City's secondary school honor society [[Arista (honor society)|of that name]], of which Davis was a member.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/27/business/creative-turmoil-at-arista-founder-and-chief-resists-a-successor.html|access-date=1 January 2024|title=Creative Turmoil At Arista; Founder and Chief Resists a Successor|author=Doreen Carvajal|date=November 27, 1999|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

At Arista, Davis signed [[Barry Manilow]], followed by [[Aretha Franklin]], [[Dionne Warwick]], [[Patti Smith]], [[Westlife]], [[Al Jourgensen]], [[Outlaws (band)|The Outlaws]], [[Eric Carmen]], [[Kenny G]], the [[Bay City Rollers]], [[Exposé (group)|Exposé]], [[Taylor Dayne]], [[Ace of Base]], [[Air Supply]], [[Ray Parker Jr.]], [[Raydio]], and [[Alicia Keys]], and he brought [[Carly Simon]], [[Melissa Manchester]], [[Grateful Dead]], [[The Kinks]], [[Jermaine Stewart]], [[Gil Scott-Heron]] (on whose episode of [[TV One (American TV channel)|TV One]]'s ''[[Unsung (TV series)|Unsung]]'' Davis was interviewed) and [[Lou Reed]] to the label.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} He co-founded Arista Nashville in 1989 with [[Tim DuBois]], which became the home to [[Alan Jackson]], [[Brooks & Dunn]], [[Pam Tillis]], and [[Brad Paisley]].<ref name="Morris">{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-05-20.pdf|title=Arista's New Country Division Is Ready To Roll|last=Morris|first=Edward|page=35|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=May 20, 1989}}</ref>

Davis founded [[LaFace Records]] with [[L.A. Reid]] and [[Babyface (musician)|Babyface]].{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} LaFace subsequently became the home of [[TLC (group)|TLC]], [[Usher (musician)|Usher]], [[Outkast]], [[Pink (singer)|Pink]] and [[Toni Braxton]].{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} He founded Bad Boy Records with [[Sean "Puffy" Combs]] and it became the home of [[The Notorious B.I.G.]], [[Craig Mack]], Combs, [[Mase]], [[112 (band)|112]], and [[Faith Evans]], although Davis would later admit that he never quite understood [[rap music]].{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} In 1998, Davis signed [[LFO (American band)|LFO]] from European Success. LFO charted #3 with "[[Summer Girls]]" in 1999, and went on to multiplatinum success.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

During the Arista years, he set up his own production company Clive Davis Entertainment, for a two-year first-look agreement with movie studio [[TriStar Pictures]] in 1987.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 24, 1987 |title=Record Exec Davis Signs Development Pact With Tri-Star |pages=4, 19 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

Davis was made aware of [[Cissy Houston]]'s daughter [[Whitney Houston]] after he saw the Houstons perform at a New York City nightclub. Impressed with what he heard, Davis signed her to Arista. Houston became one of the biggest selling artists in music history under the guidance of Davis at Arista.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/topalbums.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208083211/http://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/topalbums.asp |archive-date=December 8, 2006 |title=Recording Industry Association of America |website=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref>

=== J Records, RCA, Sony years ===
Davis left Arista in 2000 and started [[J Records]], an independent label with financial backing from Arista parent [[Bertelsmann Music Group]], named with the middle initial of Davis and his four children.<ref>{{cite news|last=Segal|first=David|title=The Man with the Golden Ear|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2001/03/16/the-man-with-the-golden-ear/dea7dc34-0d82-49ce-b41c-6a65326f67d8/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=March 16, 2001}}</ref> BMG would buy a majority stake in J Records in 2002, and Davis would become president and CEO of the larger [[RCA Music Group]].

Davis' continued success in breaking new artists was recognised by the music industry A&R site [[HitQuarters]] when the executive was named "world's No.1 A&R of 2001" based on worldwide chart data for that year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=intrview/2002/January15_2_32_44.html|title=Clive Davis Wins World Top 100 A&R of 2001 |publisher=[[HitQuarters]]|date=January 5, 2002 |access-date= February 22, 2012}}</ref>

In 2004, BMG merged with [[Sony Music Entertainment]] to form [[Sony BMG]]. With the assets of the former CBS Records (renamed Sony Music Entertainment in 1991) now under Sony's ownership, the joint venture would mean a return of sorts for Davis to his former employer. Davis remained with RCA Label Group until 2008, when he was named chief creative officer for Sony BMG.

Davis was elevated to Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music Entertainment,<ref name="usatoday.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/2008-04-17-1299599427_x.htm |title=Clive Davis replaced by Barry Weiss as BMG head |last=Moody |first= Nekesa Mumbi |date=April 18, 2008 |work=[[USA Today]] |access-date=December 2, 2009}}</ref> a title he currently holds, as part of a corporate restructuring when Sony BMG became Sony Music Entertainment in late 2008 when BMG sold its shares to Sony.<ref name=LauriaHits>{{cite news |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/10102008/business/sony_music_turns_to_davis_for_hit_133017.htm |title=Sony Music turns to Davis for Hit$ |last=Lauria |first=Peter |date=October 10, 2008 |work=[[New York Post]] |access-date=December 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531190211/http://www.nypost.com/seven/10102008/business/sony_music_turns_to_davis_for_hit_133017.htm |archive-date=May 31, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Arista Records]] and J Records, which were both founded by Davis, were dissolved in October 2011 through the restructuring of [[RCA Records]]. All artists under those labels were moved to RCA Records.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/rca-s-peter-edge-tom-corson-on-the-shuttering-1005394732.story |title=RCA's Peter Edge, Tom Corson on the Shuttering of Jive, J and Arista |magazine=Billboard |date=October 7, 2011 |access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref>