MANHATTAN — Clive Davis, a music executive, died Monday at his home in Manhattan at the age of 94. His family confirmed his passing, stating he had recently been hospitalized with respiratory problems.

Davis was born in Brooklyn on April 4, 1932. He graduated from New York University and Harvard Law School before working at private law firms. In the early 1960s, he joined the legal department at Columbia Records and was named head of the company in 1966. During his tenure at Columbia Records, he signed artists such as Chicago, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Bruce Springsteen, Santana, Billy Joel, Sly and the Family Stone, and Boz Scaggs. In 1967, he signed Janis Joplin and her band, Big Brother and the Holding Company.

CBS fired Davis in 1973 and filed a $94,000 expense-account-related lawsuit against him. The lawsuit was settled out of court. Davis pleaded guilty to failure to pay taxes on job-related expenses and was fined $10,000.

In 1974, Davis founded the record label Arista. He signed Barry Manilow to Arista Records and in 1983, he signed Whitney Houston. He produced Houston's single "I Will Always Love You," which held the No. 1 spot on the charts for 14 weeks. BMG Entertainment ousted Davis from Arista in 2000. Following his departure from Arista, he started J Records. In 2008, he was named chief creative officer of Sony Music Entertainment.

Davis won five Grammy Awards during his career. Four of these were for producing works by Kelly Clarkson, Carlos Santana, and Jennifer Hudson. He received a fifth Grammy for his contributions to music. In 2000, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In his 2013 memoir, The Soundtrack of My Life, Davis revealed he was bisexual.

The Davis family released a statement that said, "To the world, our father was the iconic music legend whose vision, instincts, and relentless pursuit of excellence shaped the soundtrack of countless lives." The statement also said, "He discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations." Davis reflected on his work, stating, "Talent comes to me because they believe I've established a creative haven in which they can flourish. And talent attracts talent."

He also commented on Whitney Houston's passing, saying, "It rips your heart out, is what it does. We knew there was no one like her, and it is very, very painful that this tragic, tragic talent so prematurely came to an early demise, really." Musician Patti Smith said of Davis, "I really felt Clive, whatever his mainstream reputation... does love artists."