NEW YORK (VINnews) – Clive Davis, the legendary music executive whose career spanned more than six decades and helped launch or revive the careers of some of the biggest names in music, has died at the age of 94.

Born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, Davis rose from a lawyer at Columbia Records to become one of the most influential figures in the music industry. Over the years, he helped shape the careers of artists including Whitney Houston, Janis Joplin, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, Aretha Franklin, Carlos Santana, Patti Smith and Barry Manilow.

Davis became president of Columbia Records in 1967 before founding Arista Records, where he transformed Houston into one of the best-selling recording artists in history. He later launched J Records and continued discovering and developing talent well into his later years.

Known for his ability to identify both emerging stars and career revivals, Davis played a key role in Santana’s Grammy-winning comeback album Supernatural and helped guide the careers of numerous Grammy Award winners.

In addition to his impact on popular music, Davis remained proud of his Jewish heritage and was a longtime supporter of Jewish and cultural causes.

Davis died at his Manhattan home, according to reports. He is survived by his four children.

His influence on the music industry was unmatched, earning him a reputation as one of the most successful record executives of all time.