{"id":549187,"date":"2026-06-23T00:59:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T00:59:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/549187\/"},"modified":"2026-06-23T00:59:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T00:59:14","slug":"rod-stewart-carlos-santana-patti-smith-pay-tribute-to-clive-davis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/549187\/","title":{"rendered":"Rod Stewart, Carlos Santana, Patti Smith Pay Tribute to Clive Davis"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tRod Stewart <\/a>was among the many artists who said their storied music careers flourished with the support of Clive Davis,<\/a> paying tribute to the beloved music executive after his death Monday aged 94.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI owe Clive so much,\u201d Stewart wrote. \u201c[He was] the force behind J Records, he was the only one who believed a rock singer could sing the standards with conviction. Other labels rejected the idea, and so The Great American Songbook was born, selling close to 40 million copies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tDavis, who served in the top spots of institutional record labels like Sony, Columbia, and Arista, \u201cwas a giant of a man in the music business,\u201d Stewart added. \u201cWe had some wonderful, unforgettable times together, but for now, Mr. Davis, it\u2019s goodbye, my dear friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tA wave of other tributes flooded in throughout Monday, including Bruce Springsteen<\/a>, Billy Joel, Barry Manilow<\/a>, Carlos Santana<\/a>, and Neil Diamond<\/a>, who all similarly credited Davis in being imperative to their starts in the music business.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOver here on E Street, we mourn the death of the great record man and close friend Clive Davis<\/a>,\u201d Springsteen wrote,<\/a> noting the pair\u2019s 50-year-old friendship that began in the 1970s.\u00a0\u201cHe treated me with the same respect and kindness as a 22-year-old nobody as he did after all my success. A great man. All our prayers and love.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cClive Davis convinced me to sign with Columbia Records many years ago,\u201d Joel said in a statement. \u201cHe recognized the talent of great musicians and understood the power of contemporary music. I will always be grateful to Clive for his recognition of the critical importance of songwriting. He undoubtedly enhanced the stature of the music industry during his tenure as president of Columbia Records.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tCarlos Santana <\/a>hailed Davis as a \u201cvisionary\u201d who could \u201chear the intangible before anyone else could see it,\u201d and actively encouraged \u201cartists to trust their own voice and step into their destiny.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n

\n\tBarry Manilow called Davis \u201cfamily<\/a>,\u201d noting they had their fair share of both laughs and arguments over a span of 50 years, where they worked on hits like Manilow\u2019s breakout \u201cMandy.\u201d \u201cI wish we could do it all again,\u201d Manilow added.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe music industry has lost a titan with the passing of Clive Davis,\u201d Neil Diamond said in a statement. \u201cHe was the first to sign me to the big leagues after being on independent labels, a move which catapulted my career. I will always be grateful to him for that and will miss his presence in the business.\u201d\u00a0 <\/p>\n

\n\tPatti Smith, who signed to Arista under Davis, thanked him for \u201cbelieving in me, shepherding my efforts and a half century of your love and support.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\tTrending Stories<\/p>\n

\n\tMelissa Manchester, who worked with Davis at Arista, remembered him in a tribute. \u201cI struggled with Clive\u2019s vision for my career sometimes.\u00a0He struggled to understand me sometimes.\u00a0I\u2019d had great success and withering disappointments with him but, in the end, I was grateful that he believed in my talent in an unwavering way for so long,\u201d said Manchester. She said he told her, \u201c\u2019Call me whenever you\u2019re performing in town.\u00a0I\u2019ll come.\u2019\u201d She added,\u00a0\u201cI swear I was just about to call him.\u00a0Rest easy now, Clive, and Thank You!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIn addition to signing greats like Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, and Gladys Knight,\u00a0Davis continued to champion a younger generation of artists, including Alicia Keys, who said he was leaving an \u201cindelible mark on music and lives worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n