Overview
- Davis, who died Monday, was 94 and passed peacefully at his Manhattan home, his family and representative said.
- He had been hospitalized for respiratory complications from May 29 to June 4 before returning home, and recent coverage also notes a long-running Bell’s palsy that affected one side of his face.
- Davis rose from Columbia Records lawyer to Columbia president in the 1960s, founded Arista Records in 1974 and later launched or partnered on labels including J Records, LaFace and ventures tied to Bad Boy.
- He is credited with finding and guiding artists such as Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, Carlos Santana, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys and Kelly Clarkson, and he played a central role in revitalizing veteran careers.
- The family called him a musical legend; he won multiple Grammys, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and also faced long‑ago corporate and tax controversies that remain part of his public record.