Overview
- His death, which was confirmed Monday by his longtime representative Aliza Rabinoff and by his family, was described as peaceful and attributed to an age-related illness.
- He had been hospitalized in late May for an upper respiratory issue and was released a few days later, sources report.
- The family issued a statement celebrating his influence and said he is survived by four children, eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and his longtime partner Greg Schriefer.
- Across more than six decades Davis rose from a Columbia Records lawyer to become Columbia president in 1967, founded Arista Records in 1974 and launched J Records in 2000 while discovering or developing stars from Janis Joplin and Santana to Whitney Houston and Alicia Keys.
- Davis earned multiple Grammys, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, hosted a high-profile annual pre‑Grammy gala and left an institutional legacy including the Clive Davis Institute at NYU, prompting wide industry tributes.