Clive Davis, a renowned figure in the music industry, embarked on his journey in Brooklyn, New York, where he was born. With a full scholarship, he entered Harvard Law School, ultimately graduating in 1956. Four years later, he arrived at Columbia Records, initially taking on the role of an attorney. As his career progressed, he was promoted to administrative vice-president of the label in 1965, followed by a promotion to vice-president and general manager in 1966. In 1967, he assumed the position of president, leading the company into the realm of rock music, with notable artists such as Janis Joplin and Carlos Santana spearheading the movement.
Under his guidance, Columbia Records achieved tremendous success until 1973, when he was abruptly fired due to allegations of tax evasion and misusing company funds. Undeterred, Davis took the reins of the record division of Columbia Pictures in 1974 and went on to establish his own label, Arista, which boasted an impressive roster of artists, including Barry Manilow and Whitney Houston. However, in 2000, he was forced out of Arista by parent company BMG. Nevertheless, Davis did not remain idle for long, as he soon founded a new label, J, which was distributed by BMG.
