“He was born to run, everything!”
It all started when an anxious 22-year-old Bruce Springsteen played ‘Growing Up’ for a record label executive in 1972. After carefully playing tracks that would end up on his first album, the executive simply smiled and said, “Welcome to Columbia Records.”
That executive was Clive Davis, who not only helped Springsteen rise to critical acclaim and success, but also the likes of Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys and many, many more.
Through his six-year run at Columbia Records and his founding of two more record labels, Davis cemented himself as one of the most influential non-performers in the music industry until his passing on June 22.
Friends, family, collaborators and fans around the world were able to mourn together when his funeral was live-streamed from the Central Synagogue in Midtown Manhattan on June 29.
Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Dionne Warwick, Barry Manilow and Davis’ sons all delivered speeches at the service.
The Boss delivered a 9-minute eulogy that reflected on Davis’ love, enthusiasm and drive from their first encounter all the way to the present.
“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 also gave the audience a nod to one of his most popular tracks, describing Davis as “big and bombastic and brave and full of ideas and just believed, believed, believed, believed. He dressed like a king and he was born to run, everything!”
Alicia Keys shared a similar experience of the kind of love and drive that Clive Davis imparted to artists.
“You didn’t just sign an artist, you recognised a soul. You saw not just the music I’d already made, but the music that was still sleeping inside of me.”
With kind words shared and thankful memories told, the world finally says goodbye to Clive Davis.
