Photo: Photo by Christopher Peterson / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Clive Davis is one of those figures I find more fascinating than the stars he made. A lawyer who became president of Columbia Records, then founded Arista and later J Records, he shaped American popular music for over half a century from behind the desk. Five Grammys, a 2000 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction as a non-performer, a Walk of Fame star, the awards confirm what the discographies already prove. What strikes me most is his ear for talent and longevity, building careers across rock, pop and R&B. He's proof that the executive can be as much an artist as anyone on stage.
Overview
Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a non-performer, in 2000. From 1967 to 1973, Davis was the president of Columbia Records. He was founder and president of Arista Records from 1974 through 2000 until founding J Records.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Clive Davis
- Name (Japanese)
- クライヴ・デイヴィス
- Reading
- くらいゔ・でいゔぃす
- Born
- April 4, 1932 (age 94)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Monkey
- Origin
- Brooklyn, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- record producer / music executive / businessperson / composer / jurist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Erasmus Hall High School
- University
- New York University College of Arts and Science
Awards & achievements
- 1999 Grammy Trustees Award
- 1999 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album
- 1999 Grammy Award for Album of the Year
- 2005 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album
- 2008 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album
- 1997 star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 2000 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Record producer — see all → · Music executive — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.