The life and influential career of record executive Clive Davis was honored at his funeral Monday. Davis’ memorial service which was closed to the public, was livestreamed by the synagogue.Davis launched the careers of numerous stars, including Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys and Kenny G, and influenced others such as Carlos Santana, Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead. Davis passed away on June 22 in his Manhattan apartment at the age of 94, a few weeks after he had been hospitalized for an upper respiratory issue.
Stars arrive for Clive Davis’ funeral
Dionne Warwick, Kenny G and Gayle King were among the stars seen walking into the service Monday morning. No details were released about who might speak or perform at the service.
Stars pay tribute to Clive Davis
According to Variety, music legends Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and several other stars paid heartfelt tribute to the legendary record executive, celebrating his extraordinary life and lasting impact on the music industry. The ceremony featured several moving speeches from Springsteen, Keys, Barry Manilow, Dionne Warwick, and Davis’ sons, Fred and Doug.Jennifer Hudson delivered a powerful musical performance that served as one of the service’s emotional highlights.
WATCH: Jennifer Hudson performs ‘Hallelujah’
Alicia Keys pays tribute
In her tribute, as reported by Varitey, Keys recalled her first audition for Davis and opened up about the endless support and friendship he offered her during their years working together. “You didn’t just sign an artist. You recognised the soul,” Keys said. “You saw not just the music I’d already made, but the music that was still sweeping inside of me, waiting for someone with the wisdom and the courage to call it forward. You called it forward. You called me forward.”“I honour you, and I love you. I am because you believed that I could be. Thank you for the music, for the vision, for the encouragement for the friendship. Really every single time, every single time.”“Thank you for seeing me fully, completely from the very beginning, even before I fully saw myself. With all my heart, all my soul, and every single note I’ve ever played,” Alicia concluded.
Bruce Springsteen remembers Clive Davis
Bruce Springsteen took the stage to say, “Clive was big and bombastic and brave and full of ideas and just believed, believed, believed, believed,” he said. “He dressed like a king and he was born to run – everything!”“I tentatively strummed my guitar. I think I played ‘Growing Up’ and ‘up in Saint in the City. Songs that would end up predominantly placed on my first album. And when I finished, Clive, smiling, simply said, ‘Welcome to Columbia Records.’”“And in those few words, he changed my life forever. Forever. Nothing’s been the same since that day. On that day, Clive showed a 22-year-old nobody the same warmth, the same kindness, the same respect that he would show me. After all my success for the next 50 years, nothing ever changed.”He concluded, “He guided the listening public towards so much powerful and inspiring music. And he not only loved music, Clive actually loved the people who made the music, no matter how much of a pain in the ass they were,” he laughed. “And he loved those people deeply and permanently, with his loyalty, He let me know that that was always the way he felt about me. And I loved him back. I never felt nothing but love coming from Clive.“
About Clive Davis
Davis launched the careers of numerous stars, including Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys and Kenny G, and influenced others such as Carlos Santana, Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead.He breathed new life into the careers of established artists such as Aretha Franklin and Santana, and helped launch Keys and several early “American Idol” winners’ careers, including Kelly Clarkson’s.He is survived by his four children, sons Fred, Doug and Mitchell, daughter Lauren, eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
