Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on June 29th, 2026

Two longtime guitarists in Bob Dylan's live band have seemingly stepped away from the rock legend's ongoing "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour. Acoustic guitarist Bob Britt was reported to have left the band after sharing a brief post social media that was later deleted. According to screenshots circulated by Dylan fans on Reddit.com, Britt posted "Sayonara Bobby" alongside an image showing a flight route from Austin, Tex., to Nashville during a day off from the tour. In a later comment, he reportedly wrote: "I quit." Britt has played with Dylan since 2019, and has been a regular presence during during his current tour. Britt's departure follows another recent change in Dylan's band, after electric guitarist Doug Lancio was recently replaced on stage by acclaimed jazz guitarist Julian Lage. Lancio, who had been part of Dylan's touring band since 2021, was absent from Dylan's June 17 show at the Santa Barbara Bowl. A reviewer for the Los Angeles Times noted that Lage had replaced Lancio onstage, although it remains unclear whether he is filling in temporarily or joining the line-up more permanently. Dylan's current US run is due to continue on June 29) at Moody Amphitheater in Austin, Tex., before wrapping in Nashville on Aug. 1. Dylan has dusted off several rarely performed live cuts lately on the tour, including "I Shall Be Released" and "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere." - New Musical Express, 6/28/26...... The huge personal record collection of Tom Verlaine, the late frontman of the acclaimed '70s punk band Television, has gone on sale. Verlaine passed away in Jan. 2023 at the age of 73, and now his extensive archive of 4,000 vinyl records is being made available to the public, offering fans a glimpse into the music taste of the trailblazing New York band. The collection spans jazz, avant-garde, garage rock, psychedelia and experimental, and includes Verlaine's personal copies of Television's debut single "Little Johnny Jewel" and their landmark 1977 debut album Marquee Moon, alongside records by The 13th Floor Elevators, Nico, Albert Ayler, The Sonics, Love and Slint. The first batch of records became available through Discogs.com on June 26, with further titles set to be sold in person at Academy Records' Banker Street location in Brooklyn on July 10 and 11. Any remaining records will then return to Discogs on July 31. Purchases made through Discogs will include a certificate of authenticity confirming that the record came from Verlaine's personal collection. The collection can be checked out on Discogs.com. Television were one of the defining bands of the 1970s New York punk scene, emerging from CBGB alongside the likes of Smith, Ramones, Blondie and Talking Heads. Their debut album Marquee Moon is widely regarded as one of the most influential guitar records of the era. Television released just one more album during their original run, 1978's Adventure, before splitting that year. They later reformed in 1992 for a self-titled third album and continued to tour intermittently in the decades that followed. - NME, 6/28/26...... In related news, Mick Jagger has named some of his favorite Rolling Stones albums and songs in a new interview with Today as he promotes the band's upcoming album Foreign Tongues. Asked if he had a favorite Stones album, Jagger replied: "I think Sticky Fingers is really good. I think Beggars Banquet is really good. I think Hackney Diamonds is pretty good, too." When asked if he had one favorite Rolling Stones song, Jagger answered: "I mean, there's so many different styles," he said. "You're running the gamut of 'Sympathy For The Devil', you know, 'Start Me Up', 'Angie', 'Honky Tonk Women'." The Stones are now preparing to release Foreign Tongues, their 25th studio album, on July 10 via Polydor/Universal Music. The 14-track record has been produced by Andrew Watt, who also worked on Hackney Diamonds. The iconic band has recently shared tracks from the new album -- "Divine Intervention" on YouTube, and "Jealous Lover" on Amazon.com. Meanwhile, Jagger has revealed that the idea of a big-screen Rolling Stones biopic "interests" him in a new interview with GQ magazine, although he admitted it would be difficult to decide which period of the band's sprawling 64-year career to focus on. The legendary frontman was asked about the possibility of the band receiving the biopic treatment in the context of Sam Mendes' upcoming four-film Beatles project. "Yeah, it interests me," Jagger replied when asked whether a similar treatment for the Stones would appeal to him. "I don't want to impart it to you, but, I know how I see it," he continued. "There's lots of ways of doing biopics. So most of the time when you do a biopic, you do one small section of someone's life bookended by some other stuff." Jagger then pointed to the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, which starred Timothée Chalamet and focused on Dylan's early years in New York and his controversial move from folk to electric music. "Take the Bob Dylan movie," Jagger said. "You do the moment when Bob went electric. You'd have to think, what are you going to zero in on? And where's your two years of interest? I mean that Bob Dylan one was two years, [the] James Brown one that I produced was slightly more." Asked which section of the Stones' history he would choose, Jagger added: "I don't know which section, because it's a long period." - NME, 6/28/26...... The estate of late Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Leonard Cohen has decried the use of the singer-songwriter's classic track "Hallelujah" during Pres. Donald Trump's rally kicking off the "Great American State Fair" in Washington, D.C. on June 24 celebrating the U.S.'s 250th anniversary. During the event, Long Island opera singer Christopher Macchio joined forces with the Marine Band's Master Gunnery Sgt. Kevin Bennear to perform the oft-covered 1984 song. Ahead of the rally, Cohen's estate posted its objection to the planned use of song, which was still used at the rally. "The Leonard Cohen Estate has learned that the song 'Hallelujah' is to be performed at a Donald Trump rally on June 24," a statement posted to Cohen's Instagram account reads. "This use is not authorized, and the Estate does not support or approve of this or any similar usage." The statement ends with a tongue-in-cheek nod to one of the president's favorite social media sign-offs, simply stating: "Thank you for your attention to this matter." According to the Recording Industry Association of America, "Hallelujah" has been performed by more than 300 singers across multiple languages and decades, including high-profile versions by Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, Pentatonix and the Shrek soundtrack. Before Cohen's 2016 death, he had reacted to the song's multitude of covers in a 2009 interview with The Guardian, saying, "I was reading a review of a movie called Watchmen that uses it, and the reviewer said, 'Can we please have a moratorium on "Hallelujah" in movies and television shows?' and I kind of feel the same way. I think it's a good song, but too many people sing it." - Billboard, 6/24/26...... Lionel Richie has postponed his next two concerts after cutting the opening night of his co-headlining tour with Earth, Wind & Fire short after suffering a dizzy spell on stage in Minnesota earlier in June. Richie, 77, told the crowd he needed to sit down while performing because he felt dizzy. He forged ahead with singing "Dancing on the Ceiling," then left the stage for an intermission. Nevertheless, Lionel took the opportunity to joke to the crowd. "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down," he said. Less than an hour later, saxophone player Dino Soldo told the crowd that the show was canceled because Lionel was "not feeling well," according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. On June 25, Live Nation Chicago posted on Instagram that the former Commodores member and '80s solo superstar's back-to-back performances in Chicago on June 26 and Columbus, Oh., on June 27 had been pushed back "under advisement by doctors to rest and return to full health." "Lionel is heartbroken to postpone these two shows and cannot wait to be back performing for his fans," it reads. "We apologize for any inconvenience this causes fans who have tickets for these two shows. Rescheduled dates will be announced soon." His concert on June 30 in Pittsburgh is still expected to go on as planned. - Billboard, 6/26/26...... Billy Joel's 1974 breakthrough hit "Piano Man" has topped Billboard's Top TV Songs chart after a synch in the eighth episode of Amazon Prime Video's The Boys' fifth season which was also its series finale. In a scene that helped conclude the show's seven-year run, "Piano Man" racked up 19.1 million official U.S. streams and sold 1,000 downloads in May 2026 en route to its No. 1 bow on the TV Songs chart, according to Luminate. Other '70s songs making the chart include Bill Withers' "Lovely Day" from Netflix's The Boroughs (No. 3), Bob Seger's "Night Moves" also from The Boroughs (No. 5), and Steely Dan's "Do It Again" from HBO's Euphoria (No. 6). - Billboard, 6/25/26...... As tension builds for the rumoured anxiously-awaited imminent marriage of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in early July, Stevie Nicks is said to be among the performers during the ceremony for the worldwide pop superstar and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end. Swift was also recently spotted celebrating the New York Knicks' recent victory with the HAIM sisters, notably while wearing a shirt that read "Stevie Nicks," which many have taken as an Easter egg about her upcoming nuptials. Now, reports from Page Six and Rolling Stone have seen multiple sources claim that not only will Nicks be in attendance, but will be performing at the ceremony. The pair's friendship is well-documented, with Swift saying she was "very lucky to have the guidance of Nicks last year." The two also went on a celebratory night in Dublin after Swift wrapped a three-show run in the city on her "Eras Tour" trek in 2024, and, the same night that they were pictured at the Hacienda bar, Nicks was seen looking visibly emotional at Swift's concert after she performed the Midnights track "You're On Your Own, Kid." The Fleetwood Mac frontwoman previously thanked the singer-songwriter for penning the song, because it captured how she felt about losing her bandmate Christine McVie. Wedding plans have so far been shrouded in secrecy, but further details emerged this week with a New York Times report that revealed a permit had been filed with New York City to close the streets around Madison Square Garden for an event on July 3, which points further towards the city's arena as the chosen venue. The Times additionally reported that festivities will kick off on July 2 with "an intimate gathering of about 100 people followed by a larger event that will include "about 1,000 guests the next day." Before those reports appeared to confirm the date, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani appeared to have let it slip that the ceremony would be held in the city in early July. - NME, 6/28/26...... Billy Idol and his longtime guitarist Steve Stevens were inducted into the Hollywood Rockwalk on June 23 during a ceremony at Guitar Center's flagship Hollywood location on Sunset Boulevard. The ceremony was hosted by legendary radio personality Richard Blade, and Idol and Stevens commemorated the occasion with a handprint ceremony outside the store. They joined more than 150 artists and innovators who have been honored by the Rockwalk since its founding in 1985, including the likes of Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. Idol, who began his career in the late '70s as a member of Generation X, received a lifetime achievement award at the American Music Awards on May 25, where he and Stevens performed three of his biggest hits, "White Wedding," "Eyes Without a Face" and "Dancing With Myself." On Nov. 14, Idol and Stevens will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at a ceremony to be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. - Billboard, 6/24/26...... Daryl Hall posted a statement on Instagram on June 23 saying he's "already feeling better" after he underwent a kidney transplant. The Hall & Oates co-founder announced that he had received the kidney from a "living donor." "Hi everybody!" he began. "I thought you should know that I recently received a kidney transplant from a very kind and generous living donor. It happened a couple of weeks ago, and I'm already starting to feel better. It was, according to my doctors, a complete success!" He went on to note that he should be "back to normal" in a few months. "So get ready for more music and lots of Daryl's House shows. You all take care!" the 79-year-old added. Back in 2005, Hall was forced to postpone a string of Hall & Oates shows as he had been diagnosed with Lyme disease. Though Hall & Oates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, Hall and John Oates announced in 2023 that they would no longer perform together due to a legal battle over their publishing rights. The dispute was resolved in August 2025. Hall released his sixth solo album, D, in June 2024. Most recently, he has hosted Live from Daryl's House, an online music series in which the singer-songwriter performs with his band and various guests at his home in Millerton, N.Y. - Music-News.com, 6/24/26...... Rising Scottish singer-songwriter Callum Beattie has joined the line-up for "Bowie: Live On The Loch," the upcoming charity celebration of David Bowie's life and legacy. The event is taking place at Cameron House on the banks of Loch Lomond on Nov. 7 and 8, in aid of Save The Children, and it will mark the 10th anniversary of Bowie's death. The band that backed Bowie during his legendary Glastonbury 2000 headline set -- guitarist Earl Slick, keyboardist Mike Garson, bassist Gail Ann Dorsey, multi-instrumentalist Mark Plati and drummer Sterling Campbell -- are reuniting for a one-off live performance over the weekend. Reflecting on joining the line-up, Beattie said: "Being asked to play with this band is one of the greatest honours of my life. If it wasn't for Bowie, there's no way I'd be a singer or a songwriter." "My dad had a 'magic cupboard' that was filled with vinyl and Bowie was at the forefront of that," he added. "It's an incredible privilege to share the stage with such legends. I just hope I can do the songs justice." - NME, 6/28/26...... Actress Ann Blyth, who drew a 1946 Oscar nomination for her memorable performance as the spoiled, selfish daughter of Joan Crawford's hard-working, devoted title character in the classic film Mildred Pierce, died on June 24 at age 98. The dark beauty was also noted for her roles in prison drama Brute Force (1947), the Mario Lanza vehicle The Great Caruso (1951) and 1957's The Helen Morgan Story with Paul Newman. Ms. Blyth made her single Broadway appearance in the original production of Lillian Hellman's WWII drama "Watch on the Rhine" in 1941-42. She toured with the show in Los Angeles, where she was noticed and given a screen test at Universal. The Mount Kisco, N.Y., native and devout Catholic focused on family after her film career essentially ended in 1957 as well as musical theater, appearing in "The Sound of Music," "The King and I," "Carnival," "Bittersweet," South Pacific," "Show Boat" and "A Little Night Music." She made several appearances on the TV Western Wagon Train in the early 1960s and starred in the "Queen of the Nile" episode of The Twilight Zone in 1964. Later she appeared a couple of times on Quincy, M.E. before her final television appearance on Murder, She Wrote in 1985. - Variety.com, 6/26/26...... David Clayton-Thomas, the Blood, Sweat & Tears lead singer and songwriter behind such hits as "Spinning Wheel, "You've Made Me So Very Happy" and "And When I Die," died on June 24 at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. He was 84. No cause of death was provided, but the rep said the musician died peacefully and that a memorial benefit concert will soon be held in his honor supporting Peacebuilders Canada, an organization that promotes restorative justice for youth, which he championed for years up until he died. Born in Surrey, England on Sept. 13, 1941, Mr. Clayton-Thomas started out as a soloist who first earned major recognition in Canada for anti-war song "Brainwashed" in 1966. He joined Blood, Sweat & Tears a couple of years later following the departure of former bandleader Al Kooper, and the group entered a period of immense popularity. The group's first album, Child Is Father to the Man, was not a huge hit (only climbing to No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart in June 1968), but it was highly-regarded, receiving a Grammy nomination and voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. BS&T's next two albums, Blood, Sweat & Tears (1969) and Blood, Sweat & Tears 3 (1970) topped the Hot 200, with the former climbing to No. 1 for seven nonconsecutive weeks and the latter heading the charts for two weeks. The band spawned three No. 2 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with Blood, Sweat & Tears 3: "Spinning Wheel," "You've Made Me So Very Happy" and "And When I Die." It won a Grammy for album of the year in 1970. A track from the album, "Variations on a Theme by Eric Satie," won Best Contemporary Instrumental Performance, and the album was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. After helping usher several other tracks onto the top 40, including 1970's "Hi-De-Ho" and 1971's "Go Down Gamblin'," the group's popularity began to wane and Mr. Clayton-Thomas briefly left the group in 1972, the same year his self-titled solo album charted on the Billboard Hot 200. A few years later, however, he returned, remaining as a constant in Blood, Sweat & Tears' lineup until 2004, with the act billed as "Blood, Sweat & Tears Featuring David Clayton-Thomas." Mr. Clayton-Thomas would resume his solo work shortly after that, releasing album Aurora in 2005 followed by The Evergreens in 2008, Soul Ballads in 2010, A Blues for the New World in 2013, Combo in 2016, Canadiana in 2016, Mobius in 2018 and Say Somethin' in 2020. He also worked as an A&R rep for several labels, as well as a reporter for TV stations. His accolades include an induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, a Juno Award and a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. He is survived by his daughters, Ashleigh Clayton-Thomas and Christine Graham. He is survived by his daughters, Ashleigh Clayton-Thomas and Christine Graham. - Billboard, 2/25/26.

In a new interview with the UK's Uncut magazine, Keith Richards has suggested that The Rolling Stones may favor residencies over traditional touring because physical demands of travel have become the biggest obstacle to the band performing live. "I don't know if tours are possible," Richards said. "It's the travelling that takes it out of you. But I do see the possibility of us doing residency somewhere. Wherever it is, London, New York, Paris, anywhere. I'll play Rome! But I don't see why they shouldn't be able to throw some shows together in a new format." Richards' comments come after Mick Jagger recently told BBC Radio 2 that he hopes to tour the Stones "as soon as possible" -- though he acknowledged it would not happen this year. The band scrapped plans for a U.K. and European stadium tour in 2026 after Richards was unable to commit to the run. The band's latest and 25th studio album, Foreign Toungues, will drop on July 10 via Polydor/Universal Music and feature guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, Steve Winwood, and the band's late drummer Charlie Watts. It includes previously released tracks "Rough and Twisted" and "In the Stars," as well as a cover of Amy Winehouse's "You Know I'm No Good." Meanwhile, on June 19 the Stones announced the launch of a Speaking in Tongues podcast featuring interviews with Jagger, Richards and guitarist Ronnie Wood. Narrated by Norah Jones, the podcast will feature behind-the-scenes insight into the making of the LP over six episodes, with the band sharing studio techniques, creative influences and their songwriting process. The first episode goes live on June 25, and its trailer can be streamed on Spotify.com. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 6/23/26...... During a concert in West Valley City, Utah on June 19, Rod Stewart was forced to pause after nearly fainting onstage and requiring an oxygen tank. Stewart, 81, appeared visibly unwell and was seen doubling over in discomfort before using an oxygen tank to assist with his breathing, according to TMZ.com. After struggling to finish his hit "Young Turks," Stewart appeared less mobile than usual and leaned against stage equipment before members of his team brought out an oxygen tank, as seen in video footage published by TMZ. The "Maggie May" singer later told the crowd that he had nearly fainted but insisted that the "show must go on." He then jokingly asked, "Would you mind if I sat down for this one?" before continuing the performance and finishing the show seated in a chair. TMZ noted that West Valley City sits at approximately 4,300 feet above sea level, which may have contributed to the incident. In late May, Stewart suggested that his current "One Last Time" farewell tour could mark the end of his large-scale touring career. "I've got 40-odd shows this year and that's not really a lot," Stewart said during a football chat show in the U.K. And I'm touring the U.K. next year and doing the O2 and that will probably be it, I think. I'll have to do something new... come on your show more often." He added that after his remaining dates this year and a planned U.K. run in 2027, he may step away from major touring commitments. Stewart currently has numerous U.S. dates scheduled throughout July and August as part of his "One Last Time" tour. The trek is set to conclude with a show in St. Louis on Aug. 15, then he'll head to Las Vegas for a handful of residency dates. - Billboard, 6/21/26...... Actor Paul Avery and his wife Sheila Avery died in a house fire in their Blairstown, N.J., home early on June 16. Firefighters responded to their home, approximately 80 kilometres west of Newark, and found the couple in critical condition, New Jersey State Police told the Ridgeview Echo, a local news organization founded by the late actor. Upon the troopers' arrival, the residence was fully engulfed in flames," police said in a statement Friday. "Two individuals were in the residence at the time of the fire, and both succumbed to their injuries. The fire remains under investigation, and no additional information is available." They were both treated with CPR, but died shortly after being rescued, police said. The blaze was declared under control around 1 a.m. shortly after firefighters entered the home. The cause is still under investigation. Mr. Avery, 81, began his acting career in the 1970s, playing a TV cameraman in Superman: The Movie in 1978 and Hughie the bartender on All My Children. He remained in the recurring role for a dozen years before his exit from the soap opera. He also made appearances in Tales from the Darkside, Three's Company and Soap. In addition to acting and writing, the former journalist was also a member of the United States National Guard and spent a year serving as a helicopter crew chief in the Vietnam War. - Canoe.com, 6/19/26...... The Jackson 5 members Marlon and Jackie Jackson announced on Instagram on June 22 they are reuniting for a string of U.K. shows later in 2026. The siblings are co-founders of the beloved Motown group -- which also starred their late brother Michael Jackson until 1984 -- and will be taking to the road in "Jackson 5 Live In Concert" for four concerts, kicking off on Nov. 6 in Manchester. Following the performance at the O2 Apollo, the pair will move on to Cardiff's Utilita Arena on Nov. 8, before heading to the Wolverhampton Civic on Nov. 11. The tour will wrap at London's Eventim Apollo on Nov. 13. Marlon and Jackie will be supported on the concerts by London disco band Heatwave, most famous for tracks such as "Boogie Nights" and "Always and Forever." "Jackson 5 Live In Concert" comes amid the huge worldwide success of biopic Michael, which documents the "Thriller" singer's life and stars his nephew Jaafar Jackson, son of J5 member Jermaine Jackson, in the lead role. Speaking recently about seeing Jaafar on the big screen as his late sibling, Marlon recently told People: "Jaafar is unbelievable. As a matter of fact, I think he's the only one that could have done this. I'm watching the movie and sometimes I'm thinking I'm watching Michael up there, and I forget 'Oh, it's Jaafar.'" - Music-News.com, 6/22/26...... It's not as good as catching Paul Simon on the singer-songwriter's "A Quiet Celebration Tour," but it's the next best thing. On June 26, fans can enjoy Simon's brand-new two-hour concert special, Paul Simon: The Quiet Celebration Concert, streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. Expect deep cuts, new arrangements and timeless hits recorded live at McCaw Hall in Seattle. It's also a story of triumph -- a legendary performer learning the stage again after beginning to experience hearing loss. - AP, 6/24/26...... Actress Anne Schedeen, best known for playing ALF matriarch Kate Tanner on the 1986-1990 NBC sitcom, died on June 14. She was 77. Born in Portland, Ore., in January 1949, Sheeden first tried acting in a local theatre before she moved east to New York to kick-start her professional career in the entertainment industry. She was cast as one of Jack Tripper's (John Ritter) girlfriends in Three's Company, and also had credits in Magnum, P.I., Murder, She Wrote, and ER. In 1986, she was cast as Kate Tanner in ALF, which follows the titular alien who landed in the family's garage and moved in. Speaking of her time on the show, she recalled to People magazine: [It was] extremely slow, hot, and tedious. If you had a scene with ALF, it took centuries. A 30-minute show took 20 to 25 hours to shoot. Some of the actors in the cast had difficult personalities. The whole thing was a big, dysfunctional family." In a post on Schedeen's Facebook page, her family penned: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share Annie has passed peacefully. She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of creative energy, whip-smart humour, delight in her family, adoration for little dogs, burning hatred for Trump, passion for second-hand thrifting, and love for a good story. We are bereft without her. We loved her so so much, as did all who met her." A cause of death is yet to be revealed. - NZHerald.co.nz, 6/18/26...... Director and television creator James Burrows, who helmed episodes of such beloved TV comedies as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, Laverne & Shirley, The Bob Newhart Show and many other classic shows, died on 19. He was 85. "We celebrate the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of James 'Jimmy' Burrows, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family," his family said in a statement. "For more than five decades, [he] was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history [who] helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world," the family added. The time and place of his death were not disclosed. Mr. Burrows won 11 Emmy awards for excellence in television and helmed more than 1,000 episodes of hit programs, working as a director, producer and writer. He was among the early innovators of the multi-camera sitcom when his prolific career began in the 1970s directing episodes of Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart and Laverne & Shirley. He is first Emmy came for directing Taxi, a groundbreaking comedy starring Danny DeVito, Andy Kaufman and Tony Danza, about the rough and tumble staff of a New York City taxicab company. He directed 236 episodes and also co-created Cheers with longtime collaborator James Brooks, as well as its spin-off Frasier. His other hit shows include The Big Bang Theory Mike & Molly, and 3rd Rock from the Sun. Recently, the director took a rare step in front of the camera and starred as himself in The Comeback, reuniting with Friends star Lisa Kudrow for a show that pokes fun at life behind the scenes working on a sitcom in Hollywood. - AFP, 6/20/26...... Clive Davis, the legendary music exec who guided the careers of such stars as Barry Manilow, Whitney Houston and Alicia Keys, died on June 22 at his home in New York from age-related illness. He was 94. Mr. Davis rose to prominence while serving as president of Columbia Records from 1967 to 1973, before founding his own label, Arista, where he signed Manilow and stars including Aretha Franklin, Patti Smith and Dionne Warwick, among many others. In 2000, he founded J Records, which was responsible for launching acts including Keys and Maroon 5 to superstardom. Known as "The Man With the Golden Ears," Mr. Davis became an industry icon for helping shape the popular sound of genres including pop, rock, R&B and hip-hop during a career that spanned more than 60 years. In the process, he signed, mentored and/or worked closely with such legendary artists as Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Alan Jackson, Luther Vandross, Kenny G, Usher, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sly and the Family Stone, Rod Stewart and Jennifer Hudson. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and received a Trustees Award from the Recording Academy in 2000. Born in Brooklyn on Apr. 4, 1932, Mr. Davis attended New York University, from which he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1956, he began his music business career in the legal department of Columbia Records at age 28. In 1967, he rose to president of Columbia's parent company CBS Records, where he signed Janis Joplin and her band Big Brother and the Holding Company after seeing them perform at the Monterey International Pop Festival. While at CBS, Davis demonstrated a knack for signing other future stars, including Santana, Billy Joel and Aerosmith. Fired from CBS Records in 1973 after being accused of misappropriating company funds, which he denied, Mr. Davis formed his own label, Arista Records, where he worked with artists as diverse as Manilow and Patti Smith. Manilow had Arista's first No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit, "Mandy," in 1975. That same year, Davis plucked Patti Smith from relative obscurity to release her hugely influential and successful 1975 debut album Horses. He also helped engineer comebacks for a number of older stars whose careers had lost some of their shimmer, from Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick to Santana, whose 1999 collaborative album Supernatural went multi-platinum and scored a total of nine Grammy wins, including album of the year. Including his Grammy win for that album, Davis won four Grammys during his lifetime out of five nominations. Mr. Davis' biggest success at Artista came when he signed Whitney Houston, the younger cousin of Arista artist Dionne Warwick. On the release of her 1985 self-titled debut album, Houston shot to fame with a trio of No. 1 hits on the Hot 100, including "How Will I Know," "Saving All My Love for You" and "Greatest Love of All." Houston went on to become one of the best-selling artists of all time, notching a total of 11 No. 1 hits on the pop charts during the course of a career that was cut short with her death in 2012. In 2002, after BMG purchased a majority stake in J Records, Mr. Davis was named president and CEO of RCA Music Group. He remained in that role until 2008, when, at age 76, he was named chief creative officer at Sony BMG, and, later, chief creative officer at Sony Music Entertainment, a title he held until his death. He published an autobiography, The Soundtrack of My Life, in 2013. Outside of music, Mr. Davis became known for his humanitarian efforts, including his work battling the AIDS epidemic beginning in the mid-1980s. "To the world, our father was the iconic music legend whose vision, instincts, and relentless pursuit of excellence shaped the soundtrack of countless lives," said the Davis family in a statement. "He discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations. Barry Manilow reflected on the pair's partnership spanning more than five decades. "My heart is heavy with the loss of my friend Clive Davis," Manilow wrote. "For fifty years we worked together, created together, argued together, and celebrated together. Yes, some would say it was business. But to Clive, it never was. It was family. And I was honored to be a part of his. Thank you Clive. I wish we could do it all again." - Billboard, 6/22/26.