photo via Grateful Dead Instagram
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Tributes continue to pore in for Clive Davis, the renowned music executive who passed away yesterday at age 94. The Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Patti Smith, Billy Joel, Kenny Loggins, and Aerosmith are among the artists to share messages extolling Davis and his legacy.
Grateful Dead: “Clive was the one suit we weren’t distrustful of.” — Bob Weir
When Clive Davis signed the Grateful Dead to Arista Records in 1976, he gave the band a home that helped carry the music into a new era. From ‘Terrapin Station’ and ‘Shakedown Street’ to ‘In The Dark’ and ‘Without A Net,’ his belief in the band helped bring countless songs, shows, and recordings into the world. Thank you, Clive 🌹 May the music never stop.
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Bruce Springsteen: Over here on E Street, we mourn the death of the great record man and close friend Clive Davis. At 22 years old, he changed my life when he signed me to Columbia Records. He 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.
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Patti Smith: Thanking Clive Davis for transforming music, and on a very personal note, for believing in me, shepherding my efforts and a half century of his love and support.
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Billy Joel: Clive Davis convinced me to sign with Columbia Records many years ago. He 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.
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Stevie Wonder: Today we remember @clivejdavis, a man whose influence extended far beyond the boardroom and into the very fabric of popular music. For more than six decades, his vision, instincts and passion for music helped define the soundtrack of generations.
Rest in peace, Clive Davis.
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Aerosmith: Our hearts are with the friends and family of Clive Davis, and all the artists and music lovers whose lives he changed with his vision, talent, and generosity. He discovered Aerosmith, an unknown bar band, in 1972 and swiftly signed us to Columbia Records. He stood by us through our resurgence in the 1980s when our future wasn’t promised. He was a great man whose life’s work became the melody of modern culture and whose memory will always be a blessing.
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Kenny Loggins: I owe my career to Clive Davis. He believed in me when others would only ‘wait and see.’ He had the ability to use his ‘gut’ instead of just looking at the numbers. The last of his kind in this business, he will be missed.
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