ByANDREW LAPIN/JTA

JUNE 23, 2026 05:20

While serving as president of CBS Records, Clive Davis signed numerous landmark artists who shaped rock history, such as Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel.

Yet his position nearly collapsed in 1973 when he was accused of diverting label resources to cover costs for his son's bar mitzvah.

The controversy ended Davis's role at the company, where he had guided the industry through major changes; he passed away Monday at age 94. CBS responded by filing a civil suit that detailed how he had taken at least $20,000 for the family event honoring his son Fred, along with other claimed expenses such as home renovations.

Three years afterward, Davis admitted guilt to tax charges involving $2,700 in related costs.

Music and October 7 attacks struck a personal chord

Though Davis rarely discussed his Jewish background in public, the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel prompted him to issue statements, highlighting that many victims had been at a music festival.

"I have made it my mission in life to fight for equality and human rights, advocating for those who do not have a voice in music and elsewhere," he said. "You cannot be silent about antisemitism, or hate or discrimination of any kind."

He married and divorced twice, and revealed his bisexuality in 2013 through his acclaimed memoir, "The Soundtrack of My Life."

"On this night, after imbibing enough alcohol, I was open to responding to his sexual overtures," he recalled of an encounter with a man amid the Studio 54 period of the late 1970s. "After my second marriage failed, I met a man who was also grounded in music. Having only had loving relationships and sexual intimacy with women, I opened myself up to the possibility that I could have that with a male, and found that I could."

Whitney Houston, Biggie and Kelly Clarkson

Following the incident, Davis recovered by establishing Arista Records, drawing its name from an academic honor society in New York where the Brooklyn-born Harvard Law alumnus had excelled.

At the new label he continued identifying talent, signing Aretha Franklin, adding the Grateful Dead and launching the career of a young Whitney Houston. CBS eventually invested in Arista, moving past earlier disputes.

Davis stayed involved in the business for many years, aiding Kelly Clarkson after her "American Idol" win and supporting the creation of Bad Boy Records, home to artists including The Notorious B.I.G.

His instincts often proved sharper than those of the performers themselves. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel preferred releasing the upbeat "Cecilia" first from their 1970 album, but Davis chose the title track despite concerns over its length and pace. That single achieved massive sales and earned major Grammy awards.

He also encouraged Barry Manilow to record "I Write the Songs" in 1975, even though Manilow had not composed it. The track topped the charts.

"It is so important to have people smarts," Davis told Billboard near the end of his career, citing guidance from his mother. "You've got to get out there with people. You've got to learn from all walks of life, all races, all colors."