Updated
Updated · Rolling Stone · Aug 22
Clive Davis Draws Dozens of A-Listers to 90-Minute New York Funeral at 94
Updated
Updated · Rolling Stone · Aug 22

Clive Davis Draws Dozens of A-Listers to 90-Minute New York Funeral at 94

3 articles · Updated · Rolling Stone · Aug 22

Summary

  • Central Synagogue hosted a 90-minute funeral for Clive Davis on June 29, one week after the music executive died at 94, drawing a packed roster of stars, executives and public figures.
  • Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Barry Manilow, Nancy Pelosi and others filled the pews, while Jennifer Hudson, Kenny G and Rabbi Angela Buchdahl performed during the service.
  • Tributes centered on Davis’ five-decade influence as a hitmaking executive who signed or shaped artists from Janis Joplin and Santana to Whitney Houston, Kelly Clarkson and Rod Stewart.
  • Springsteen, Berry Gordy, Diane Warren and other mourners described Davis as an unmatched A&R force whose ear for pairing artists with songs, and whose relentless work ethic, reshaped pop music across genres.

Insights

Which secret tributes were revealed during the closed-door memorial of the man who shaped five decades of pop music?
How did a single music executive manage to dictate the soundtracks of our lives for over half a century?
With the ultimate golden ear gone, who will guide the next generation of superstars in an algorithm-driven music industry?