Celebrity
Clive Davis Net Worth: Music Mogul Leaves Behind Staggering Fortune After His Death at 94
Clive Davis’ net worth at the time of his death at 94 was a staggering amount.
Iconic music mogul Clive Davis‘ net worth at the time of his death at 94 was an estimated $850 million. The music industry executive had a role in the development of some of music’s biggest stars, and he accumulated massive wealth over the course of his lengthy career as a result.
While Davis is tied to some of music’s most successful performers, perhaps one of his biggest career achievements was discovering Whitney Houston.
Over the course of his 50-year career, Davis helped music companies such as Columbia, Arista, and J Records succeed. His career was not without scandal, though.
As Variety noted, Davis graduated from Harvard Law School in 1956 and worked in the legal world for several years. He joined Columbia in 1960 as assistant counsel and worked his way up from there. By 1967, Davis was promoted to president of the music label.
Under his leadership, Columbia landed artists such as Janis Joplin, Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, and Billy Joel.
However, in 1973, a scandal threatened to completely derail Davis’ legacy. Variety shared that Davis was fired for misappropriating funds from Columbia, using some of the nearly $100,000 for one of his son’s bar mitzvahs. In addition, in 1975, Davis faced six counts of federal income tax evasion.
Davis was able to put those financial and legal issues in the past when he landed at Arista and had a hand in launching music icon Barry Manilow to stardom. While he was with Arista, Davis also signed a then-19-year-old unknown Houston to the label.
He continued to find great success in the music industry, moving from label to label, and at one point, launching J Records. Davis ultimately served as the chief creative officer for RCA Records until his death.
In 2000, Davis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also won five Grammys over the course of his career.
Davis had four children from his two marriages to Helen Cohen and Janet Adelberg.
