Music mogul behind Whitney Houston dies at 94

Key Points:

• Clive Davis, a legendary music executive known for discovering and nurturing iconic artists like Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, and Alicia Keys, passed away peacefully at age 94 on June 22 in Manhattan due to age-related illness.
• Davis began his career as a lawyer before becoming head of Columbia Records in 1967, where he discovered major talents including Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, and Earth, Wind & Fire, later leading Arista Records to significant success from 1974 to 2000.
• Despite a 1973 scandal involving misuse of company funds that led to his firing from Columbia, Davis was later vindicated and went on to build influential labels such as LaFace and Bad Boy Records, fostering careers of artists like TLC, Usher, and Notorious B.I.G.
• He maintained deep ties to the music industry throughout his life, producing annual Pre-Grammy Galas and co-producing the 2022 Whitney Houston biopic, while also openly discussing his bisexuality and personal life in his memoir and interviews.
• A proud New Yorker, Davis organized major events like the 2021 "We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert," underscoring his lifelong connection to his hometown and lasting impact on the music world over seven decades.