US singer-songwriter Alicia Keys said Clive Davis “changed [her] life forever” in a heartfelt tribute to the award-winning music executive, who has died aged 94.
The Girl On Fire singer, 45, praised Davis for believing in her from the beginning after signing her at 18.
In a post shared on Tuesday, Keys remembered the producer and media executive who helped shape her career. She went on to win 17 Grammy Awards and score UK top-10 singles including Empire State Of Mind, No One and Fallin’.
“Clive Davis changed my life forever,” she wrote. “He believed in me from the very beginning, when I was just 18 years old, and very few saw what I was capable of.”
Keys said Davis supported her through every chapter that followed, not merely in an industry sense but with “love for how unlimited I could be”.
She recalled that he called her a “renaissance woman”, describing it as one of her favourite descriptions because it reminded her to remain boundless.
“If he didn’t see in me the glimmer of what was to become, you and I may have never known each other and be on this deep musical journey,” she added.
“We will celebrate your extraordinary life, legacy, and heart today and always. You will be missed beyond words.”
Davis’ family announced his death on Monday. Tributes have since poured in for the former Columbia Records president, whose career helped launch or elevate Whitney Houston, Patti Smith, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith and Earth, Wind & Fire.
Joel said Davis recognised great musical talent and understood the power of contemporary music, adding that he would always be grateful for his understanding of “the critical importance of songwriting”.
Springsteen said Davis changed his life and treated him with the same respect and kindness when he was “a 22-year-old nobody” as he did after his success.
Patti Smith thanked Davis for transforming music and for decades of belief, support and friendship.
Born in 1932, Davis became president of Columbia Records in 1967. He signed Neil Diamond, Pink Floyd and Aerosmith, and also worked with Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand and Miles Davis.
After leaving Columbia in 1973, he founded Arista Records, where early success came with Barry Manilow’s hit Mandy. He continued to work across pop, R&B and country music, championing artists at different career stages.
Carlos Santana described Davis as a “visionary” who believed in the band from the start. The guitarist said Davis understood that music was more than entertainment, calling it a force that brings people together beyond borders.
Davis signed Houston as a teenager and played a major role in building her into one of pop’s biggest stars. The pair remained close friends until her death in 2012.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
In announcing his death, Davis’ family called him a devoted family man and a music legend whose vision, instinct and pursuit of excellence shaped the soundtrack of countless lives.—dpa
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