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FYI
Obituaries: Canadian Artists and Industry Figures Remember David Clayton-Thomas and Clive Davis
It won five Grammy Awards, including album of the year, and featured three signature hits that each reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100: ''You've Made Me So Very Happy," "And When I Die,'' and Clayton-Thomas's own tune, "Spinning Wheel." Those tunes are now considered classics, as is a version of Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" that showcased Clayton-Thomas' formidable vocal chops.
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Clayton-Thomas had written “Spinning Wheel” in 1967 in Toronto while performing on Yorkville's bustling coffeehouse and club scene. Released as a single in May 1969, it sold one million copies within three months. It remained at No. 2 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. In Canada, “Spinning Wheel” topped the RPM Weekly singles chart for three weeks. In 2007, it entered the Canadian Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
Born in Surrey, England, as David Henry Thomsett, he was the son of a Canadian soldier and an English music student. After the end of World War II, the family relocated to the Toronto suburb of Willowdale. As has been well-documented, he had a troubled early life, living on the streets from the age of 15 and spending time in jails and reformatories as a serial offender for vagrancy, petty theft and street fighting.
After teaching himself to play guitar in jail, he performed jailhouse concerts prior to his release in 1962. A Canadian Encyclopedia entry notes that ''he began performing as Sonny Thomas (later David Clayton-Thomas) on Toronto’s Yonge Street strip, where he developed a reputation as a tough, brawling blues singer. John Lee Hooker became his idol and Ronnie Hawkins his mentor. The music of jazz greats Lenny Breau, Oscar Peterson and Moe Koffman was equally influential.''
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''Clayton-Thomas’s first band, David Clayton-Thomas and The Fabulous Shays (later The Shays), was an R&B outfit that had hits in 1964 with 'Out of the Sunshine”' and 'Walk That Walk,' a rendition of Hooker’s 'Boom Boom.' They opened for the Rolling Stones at Maple Leaf Gardens and played the NBC-TV variety program Hullabaloo (1965) at the invitation of host Paul Anka.
Read more about The Shays and Clayton-Thomas's subsequent Toronto band The Bossmen here.
His big career break came when he caught the ear of folk music star Judy Collins at a New York City gig, and her recommendation led to Clayton-Thomas joining Blood, Sweat & Tears and playing a pivotal role in their phenomenal success.
After that smash hit eponymous album, subsequent BS&T albums including Blood, Sweat & Tears 3 and Blood, Sweat & Tears 4, were also successful, both going gold, alongside such singles as "Lucretia Mac Evil" (a Clayton-Thomas composition) and "Go Down Gamblin'."
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Blood, Sweat & Tears quickly became international touring stars, appearing at prestigious concert venues in North America and Europe and making a splash at the Woodstock and Newport Jazz Festivals. In 1970 they became the first rock group to play behind the Iron Curtain, touring Eastern Europe at the request of the U.S. State Department and in exchange for permanent U.S. residence status for their singer.
Clayton-Thomas left the band in 1972, returning mid-decade and and assuming leadership in 1976, shepherding the band through many changes in membership. He secured legal rights to the name Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1984 and toured with an ever-evolving roster of players until 2004.
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From the mid-'90s on, he pursued a prolific solo career that brought him critical acclaim, if not major commercial success. After relocating back to Toronto, he released albums on noted Canadian independent labels Justin Time and Linus Entertainment, and such work as 2008's The Evergreens and 2015's Combo explored jazz and blues elements in more minimal fashion than the work of BS&T.
In 2006, Justin Time released a live album, A Musical Biography, recorded at the Opera House in Toronto the previous year. Justin Time head Jim West tells Billboard Canada that ''David often told me that this was his favourite recording of his entire career, containing the definitive versions of his greatest hits.''
Clayton-Thomas also hosted his own CBC television series, and in 2010, the same year he survived serious heart surgery, he performed at Massey Hall with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. His final solo release was 2019’s Say Somethin’.
His later work often possessed a political edge, something also demonstrated on his outspoken social media posts. Clayton-Thomas became a strong advocate for justice-involved youth and a champion of Peacebuilders Canada, a charity promoting restorative youth justice, alternatives to incarceration and conflict resolution.
In 2020 he wrote and recorded the song "The System" to support that organization' and headlined numerous fundraising galas and benefit concerts on its behalf. A celebration of life concert that is being planned will also benefit Peacebuilders Canada.
In 2021, FYI reported the singer's official retirement from performing. ''I am now past my 80th birthday… having survived two heart surgeries and 60 years of rock & roll, it’s time to hang it up,'' Clayton-Thomas stated. ''If I can’t perform at the level people expect of me then I won’t perform at all… I won’t embarrass myself or disappoint my fans. My eternal gratitude to all the gifted musicians and hard-working crews who have travelled the world with me for six decades and made every night a magical experience… it’s been a trip. Our musical collaboration will continue… it just won’t be on a concert stage.”
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Clayton-Thomas' substantial career achievements have been recognized in his home country. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1996, and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2008, received a special Juno Award for his outstanding contribution to Canadian music in 1973 and earned a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in 2010. His work has also been recognized by the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.
After returning to Toronto, Clayton-Thomas became a highly important and respected figure in that city's music community. That was evidenced in Nov. 2025 when Toronto's Redwood Theatre hosted an all-star tribute to Clayton-Thomas produced by a close musical collaborator, musician, producer and arranger Lou Pomanti (Michael Bublé).
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The affection in which he was held was also quickly reaffirmed in social media tributes upon his passing. Here is a selection of those, alongside others offered to Billboard Canada.
Hamilton jazz musician and radio host (CFMU) Darcy Hepner played in Blood, Sweat & Tears when David Clayton-Thomas was in full control of the group. He sent Billboard Canada this tribute: ''The passing of David Clayton-Thomas is, in many ways, the end of an era. I had the pleasure of working with David during the final four years of his time with Blood, Sweat & Tears, and we became good friends. He shared many stories with me, including one about a quiet afternoon with Charlie Chaplin at his home in Switzerland, and another about the painting Janis Joplin had given him that hung beside the pool table in his home.
''He wrote some of Blood, Sweat & Tears' most iconic songs, including 'Spinning Wheel, ' 'Go Down Gamblin', and 'Lucretia Mac Evil.' Fred Lipsius, the band's original saxophonist, who won a Grammy for his arrangement of 'Spinning Wheel,' once told me that those iconic horn lines on Go Down Gamblin' were played by David on guitar exactly as they appear on the recording. Fred simply transcribed them.''
''I watched David carry show after show with ease and humour—a shining example of professionalism with one of the most iconic voices in rock. He returned to Canada shortly before I did in 2005, and our friendship continued. On two occasions, he generously donated his time to support my wife Astrid's organization, the Hamilton Music Collective, which raises funds to provide children with access to music education and instrument lessons. He lived his life well and to the fullest. I will dearly miss him.''
Toronto jazz radio station JAZZ.FM91, on Facebook: '''People like me don’t retire. This is what I was put here to do.' We remember the life and legacy of David Clayton-Thomas who passed away in Toronto as the age of 84. One of the prominent voices from the Yonge Street and Yorkville musical eras. A musical legend who sold over 40 million records worldwide as the lead singer of Blood Sweat & Tears and one of the first to weave jazz and rock together. No matter where he was in the world, Toronto was home where he was a champion of the local music scene in his later years.
''There are not enough words to describe his impact, but to JAZZ.FM91, he was a cherished friend. He was a huge supporter of our various events including JAZZ LIVES, One Stop Vocal Jazz Safari and many Live to Air concerts. Rest in Melody David, thank you for your gifts.''
Jaymz Bee, JAZZFM host, bandleader and close friend of Clayton-Thomas, on his Substack: ''I was a kid when I first saw him. Ed Sullivan, Blood Sweat and Tears behind him, that voice coming out of a body built like a man who had been in a few fights, which he had. Later it was the Tom Jones Show and the Midnight Special, and I remember being a kid in North Bay with strong opinions about who should and shouldn’t be allowed to sing the blues. White guys, I had decided, should not. Then David Clayton-Thomas opened his mouth and that theory died on the spot. (Later Don Francks and John Finley drove that point home.) Best education I ever got.''
''I met him backstage after a show, the way you meet your heroes if you’re lucky and if the universe is in a generous mood. I expected the thing you brace for with guys who’ve lived that big. The cool distance. The practiced charm that’s really just a wall with good lighting. Instead I got a guy who was warm and direct and looked at you like you were the only other person in the room, which is the rarest trick in show business and the one thing you can’t fake for long. I’d seen plenty of legends get approached by superfans and treat it like a tax. DCT treated it like a conversation. That told me everything I needed to know about him before I knew anything else.
''When I started my show at JAZZ.FM91 I made sure David Clayton-Thomas was in the rotation, regular as a heartbeat. Blood Sweat and Tears records, sure, but just as often the solo stuff, the records people forget exist because one song called 'Spinning Wheel' ate the whole conversation for fifty years. I wanted my listeners to hear the rest of the man. Early stuff like 'Brainwashed' and later stuff from Combo, Canadiana, Mobius and ,especially, In Concert: A Musical Biography, from a show I witnessed at The Opera House in Toronto.
''Then I saw the documentary What the Hell Happened to Blood Sweat and Tears and every single thing he’d told me checked out. All of it. A life that most people couldn’t dream up if you gave them a week and a typewriter, and he lived every bit of it and somehow still had time to be a decent man to the people around him at the end.
''That’s the part I want people to remember. Not just the voice, though God knows that voice deserves every word already written about it. The man underneath it. The one who sat across from me in his own living room and fought with me about the music business and then poured me another drink and asked about my mother and father. The one who told a kid from North Bay, without knowing he was doing it, that talent doesn’t ask permission from anybody’s idea of who’s allowed to have it.''
Toronto musician/producer Greg Kavanagh, on Facebook: ''Lots of tributes to the great David Clayton Thomas! A real statement of how available he made himself to Toronto artists and the music community. I worked with him a few times and he was gracious and opinionated but in a good way. Nothing but respect for the Canadian icon.''
Jim West (Justin Time Records), to Billboard Canada: ''I very much enjoyed my time working with David. He was the consummate professional, always surrounding himself with the finest musicians. It was a privilege to be part of his musical journey. Together, we recorded two albums — Aurora and In Concert: A Musical Biography — as well as a live performance DVD filmed at the Spectrum in Montreal. From my perspective, David truly owned the vocal space within the jazz-rock genre. He will be sorely missed."
Patricia Silver, founder of the SING! vocal arts festival, on Facebook: ''We had the pleasure of presenting him in our festival — with a cappella accompaniment. He was fantastic — and a nice person to work with. Big loss for music in Canada.''
CBC and JAZZFM broadcaster Ralph Benmergui, on Facebook: ''DCT. I lay on my bed with heavy headphones on the Phillips reel to reel tape recorder spooling out Blood and Sweat and Tears. I soaked up every note. And that voice. That Toronto bred voice. I sang along to David Clayton-Thomas, from 'Spinning Wheel' to 'God Bless The Child' over and over again.
''When, years later, he came off the road and returned to his hometown he came in to the Jazz FM91 studios and I got to interview him. I'm not much on being gobsmacked, it's not in my job description as an interviewer, but I couldn't hide my giddiness in finally meeting that voice. The one that gave me comfort. That man who knew how to swing the blues. May his memory be a blessing. David Clayton-Thomas, you nailed it.''
Toronto musician and producer George Koller worked extensively with Clayton-Thomas. His Facebook post: ''He was peaceful and content with a remarkable life. Liberation and freedom and triumph are words that come to mind. An honor to be there with him and to be his friend and colleague. Rest in bliss David.''
Acclaimed Toronto singer and songwriter Dione Taylor, on Facebook: ''I called him Big D and he called me Little D. David Clayton-Thomas wasn’t just an ICONIC musician/singer/songwriter, he was also a dear friend. He was delightfully salty as he was deliciously sweet as cherry pie. He was smart as a whip and passionate about life, love, equality and truth. He never ceased to amaze me with his devotion to music and I truly admired his insatiable desire to create.Thank you for the music, thank you for the laughs and thank you for the beauty memories that I will truly cherish forever. #RIP to a true Legend 
''
Hit singer-songwriter Marc Jordan, on Facebook: ''When I was in high school the Yonge Street strip in Toronto was amazing from Bloor to King. One winter night my friend and I walked downtown listening to the various bands whose music poured out into the night thru the open front doors on blue clouds of cigarette smoke. One night we walked past one such club and out came music that stopped me in my tracks . Hard driving , melodic and aggressive … it was a young David Clayton Thomas ripping it up……I stood out in the cold all night that night listening to him.
''I got to know David after his Blood Sweat and Tears days as we both ended up back in Toronto after living away for many years. He had mellowed and was easy to be around and was being produced by Lou Pomanti who was also producing me. In short DCT was a complicated man and a brilliant singer …coming from humble beginnings to overcome the odds. RIP David.''
Toronto musician and visual artist, Kurt Swinghammer, on Facebook: ''Blood Sweat and Tears' second album was the second album I owned. An exciting birthday gift from my older brother, it had won the album of the year Grammy with the iconic hit 'Spinning Wheel. 'I can only assume David Clayton-Thomas was required to sing 'What goes up must come down' at every single gig since… until his death last night.
''Decades fly by and I was in the house band for the annual Closer to the Heart benefit concert (curated by Karen Pace) backing up DCT on his self-written signature tune. Backstage he was friendly and warm and with a twinkle in his eye told me about his vintage Tele that he loved.A few years ago his close musical friends Genevieve Marentette and George Koller pooled together with some pals and picked out a print of mine to gift to David. Genevieve then invited me over to his beautiful condo overlooking the lake where the print hung amongst an incredible collection of photos with a who’s who of stars and multiple gold records and that gorgeous Tele. I resisted bombarding him with questions so I limited it to asking him about Laura Nyro. Wish I’d asked him more. What a life. What a great twinkling spirit. What goes up.''
On Facebook, Toronto musician and author Bill King stressed Clayton-Thomas' social conscience: ''David Clayton-Thomas now joins that long procession of civil and human rights champions, artists, activists and truth-tellers whose lives remind us that courage is measured not by applause but by conviction. They leave us their songs, their words and their example, trusting that others will carry the torch forward. The ministry continues.''
Toronto artist Danny Marks, on Facebook: ''He could be a difficult man. DCT was opinionated and proud of it. In his earliest days up in Willowdale, David Clayton Thomas was Sonny Thomas and we heard he was considering boxing as a career. His early band, the Shays, were the quintessential Toronto Sound group.' Here was authentic Canadian blues rock.
''The Shays' early singles will still raise the hair on the back of your neck today. His voice was the prototype for beer commercials. Others copied his gruff tone. Have a listen to his post Shays recording of 'Brainwashed.' Pure genius.''
''David's move to Blood Sweat and Tears took him into the international spotlight. The sound predated many others bringing Jazz into the Rock mix. And they topped the Pop charts. David was an international celebrity, seen making music with everyone from Louis Armstrong to Frank Zappa. He was especially proud of his affiliation with Louis. In later years, DCT moved back to Toronto and made some decent recordings, often being spotted around town. It was in this era that he and I finally connected.''
Veteran Canadian journalist Larry LeBlanc, to The Toronto Star: ''The single reason I got into the music business was because I heard the original version of ‘Boom Boom,’ on the ACTA label. What a voice he had!''
Toronto music publicist Karen Pace recalled her connection to Clayton-Thomas to Billboard Canada: ''I used to produce an annual benefit concert to raise funds for the Regent Park School of Music (now called Community Music Schools of Toronto). Someone told me that David was living back in Toronto after being in the States for years, so I tracked him down in 2015 and he answered back directly via email. No manager, no agent, no record label rep.''
'I believe in the fine work being done by RPSM so I’d be happy to participate,' he wrote me. I thought that was pretty cool and very humble, for the lead singer of such an iconic group as Blood, Sweat & Tears. The premise of the benefit concert was that a house band would play behind 10 different singers who would each do two Canadian cover songs of their choice. It allowed for a different set than a fan would usually see from their favourite artists.
''David Clayton-Thomas was the only performer in 9 years of the event who asked if he could perform his own hit plus one cover song. I couldn’t deny him this concession. And so he closed our show that year with his rendition of 'The Weight' by the Band, then his self-penned 1968 hit single, 'Spinning Wheel.' The house band members were quite chuffed to be backing DCT and had a ball. He was gracious and chatty with all of the fellow musicians on the bill at the rehearsal and at the show. I was thrilled that he was willing to participate for such a great cause.''
To the Toronto Star, Lou Pomanti, who acted as Clayton-Thomas’s musical director intermittently for 30 years, recalled that joining Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1980 "was like being called into the big leagues. In 1970, Blood Sweat & Tears beat out Abbey Road by The Beatles for the best album (at the Grammys). From 1969 to ‘71, there was no bigger band.
“When you pair those blues roots with that raunchy voice, that flexibility and the agility that David had — when you team it with a fantastic jazz band and the great arrangers that they had, it was like nothing anybody had heard.”
Toronto club owner and record label head Duff Roman (Roman Records) helped boost Clayton-Thomas' early career. He told The Toronto Star that ''The guy was the best blue-eyed soul singer in town — a once-in-a-lifetime talent.”
”As reported in The Globe and Mail's obituary of Clayton-Thomas, legendary record label mogul Clive Davis (who passed just two days before Clayton-Thomas) wrote about the singer in his 1974 memoir Clive: Inside the Record Business. Describing his impression of seeing Clayton-Thomas sing at the Café Au Go Go in New York City, Davis wrote: He jumped right out at you. He seemed so genuine, so in command of the lyric lines, a perfect combination of fire and emotion to go with the band’s somewhat cerebral appeal. He was almost animalistic.”Clive Davis, one of the most successful and important music executives in history, died on June 22 at his home in New York from age-related illness. He was 94.
A Billboard obituary notes that ''Davis rose to prominence while serving as president of Columbia Records from 1967 to 1973, before founding his own label, Arista, where he signed Barry 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 Alicia Keys and Maroon 5 to superstardom.
''Known as 'The Man With the Golden Ears,' 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 and mentored such legendary artists as Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Alan Jackson, Luther Vandross, Kenny G, Usher, Rod Stewart and Jennifer Hudson.''
Over his illustrious career, Davis boosted the careers of many Canadian artists in multiple genres. As reported earlier in Billboard Canada, they were quick to pay tribute to Clive Davis. On social media, R&B star Deborah Cox (signed to Arista in 1994 who released her platinum-selling debut album the next year) posted that “he was a friend, mentor, and one of the most influential figures in music. I would not have the career I have today without his belief in me and his unwavering support throughout the years.
''From the moment he signed me in the 1990s, Clive saw me not only as an artist, but as a person. That meant more to me than words can express. He was one of the most passionate music executives I have ever known. He championed artists with extraordinary dedication and always led with a genuine love for music.
''Throughout my career, he continued to show up for me, often without fanfare, supporting my journey and celebrating my successes. Whether it was my work on Broadway in Aida, The Bodyguard, or most recently Titanique, Clive was always there with encouragement and support. His impact on my life and career is immeasurable.”
To Canadian Press, Cox recalled Davis flying in to Toronto during a conference in the mid-1990s to deliver a message to those in charge of the country’s music industry: pay attention. CP noted that ''Cox’s single 'Who Do U Love' was a smash in the making, she remembers the music executive arguing, but it was being overlooked at home.
“'He informed all of the executives there that we have a hit here and there should be more support from the Canadian labels and radio,' recalls Cox.
''He was very, very frank about it. And I think the industry heard him and was like, 'Wow, I think we need to really pay attention more to the talent that we have here.’”Also on social media, Michael Bublé posted this tribute: ''Heartbroken to hear of the passing of Clive Davis. Clive wasn’t just a music legend, he was a champion of artists and someone who believed in people and their dreams. Forever grateful for his guidance, his generosity, and the opportunities he gave so many of us.”
Another Canadian superstar whom Davis helped find international success was Sarah McLachlan. Arista teamed with her original Canadian label, Nettwerk, to release six albums together, beginning with her 1991 sophomore record, Solace. That partnership included McLachlan's biggest-selling album, 1997's Surfacing, which sold 8x platinum in the U.S.
Other Canadian artists signed by Clive Davis included country stars Michelle Wright and Carolyn Dawn Johnson, both inked to Arista Nashville.
In a Facebook tribute, Canadian Country Music Hall of Famer Wright posted that ''Clive Davis' instincts and belief in artists have shaped countless careers — and I'm incredibly grateful that mine became one of them. Clive co-founded Arista Nashville with Tim DuBois, and that's where my life changed forever. After hearing my first album, Do Right By Me, which I had recorded in Canada in 1985, Tim took it to Clive and suggested they sign me to the label. I also owe so much to the incredible producer/songwriting team of Rick Giles and Steve Bogard, who believed in me, took me under their wing, and helped create that record.
''Clive agreed with Tim, and just like that, I became one of the first three artists signed to Arista Nashville, alongside Alan Jackson and Leroy Parnell. Looking back, it's hard to put into words what that opportunity meant. Clive's belief in me opened doors I never imagined possible and launched a musical journey that has taken me around the world. I will always be grateful.
''I've never shared this story publicly before, but it seems like the perfect time.Before signing with Arista in 1989, I spent nine years touring the club circuit — every juke joint, bar, and hole-in-the-wall we could find. One night in 1986, while performing in one of those little clubs in Hearst, Ontario, my bass player and best friend on the road, Floyd Gibson — may he rest in peace — looked at me and said, 'If you can ever sign a record deal with Clive Davis, it will change your life.' I laughed.' That's crazy,' I told him. 'Clive Davis doesn't even know who I am. Besides, he has nothing to do with country music.'''
''Who could have imagined that just three years later, this small-town Canadian girl would sign with Clive Davis at Arista Nashville?Dreams really do come true. And after all these years, I'm still dreaming. P.S. When I went to New York to finally meet Clive Davis I was standing there in my white plastic Kmart cowboy boots because it was all I could afford with tears rolling down my face. He smiled at me and passed me a tissue and welcomed me with kindness.''
Veteran Canadian record label executive and artist manager veteran Jill Snell (Jayward Artist Group) forwarded this tribute to Billboard Canada: ''Clive Davis was a visionary and his influence on the music that is out there in the world for us all to love is likely immeasurable. He visited our team at the BMG Canada offices several times and was always friendly and approachable.
''My personal gratitude to Clive would include that he had the foresight to assemble a brilliant Arista Nashville team under the leadership of Tim Dubois and Mike Dungan that not only launched some of the most successful country stars ever but also became my personal tether to Nashville, provided the most fun years of my music career and gifted me long lasting relationships and forever friendships. He touched millions of lives.''
Canadian band Crash Test Dummies attained international success while signed to Arista Records and their manager, Jeff Rogers, posted his homage to Clive Davis on Facebook: ''We have truly lost one of the all time greats. I was lucky to work directly with Clive Davis with Crash Test Dummies for two albums. They signed first in Canada with David Bendeth at BMG.
''I picked the band up for management and played it for Ken Friedman at Arista. He liked it and suggested I write Clive a letter telling him why we wanted to be on that label. I followed that advice and heard that Clive read the letter to the A+R team and kept it on his desk. BMG and I kept up a full court press and we eventually got the nod. We felt supported as if we had been signed directly from the whole team but led by Clive. He would give me time as a manager to meet one on one and gave succinct advice that helped the band and helped me work within the company.''
''We travelled to conferences with Clive and he always had an endearing story. Once in Florida he saw all of Crash Test Dummies sitting in the shade on a beautiful day at Turnberry Isle Resort. He walked over and told us that he once asked Lou Reed [signed to Arista] why he never sat out in the sun. Lou replied 'It would ruin my image man.'''
''He stuck with us and when it came time to "push the button" I saw what power he had. He saw the signs and stepped up to the bat. We sold 10 million records and Clive had his hand on that button the whole time. He always had time for the band and I and his amazing team marched along with him to see our success through.
My gratitude toward Clive is endless. He provided me with success and lessons on how to have that success. He was more than a legend to us, he was real. I am sad to hear of his passing, happy to have known him and grateful for all the times he "pushed the button" to create an enduring music culture and launch some of the greatest artists of our time. He made music happen.''
On Facebook, Toronto artist and radio host Danny Marks posted that ''Clive was an original from a breed of originals. His background was not unlike many of the greatest 20th century music and entertainment moguls. Davis found his own way to the top, learning from the greats to develop and follow his keen intuition and sense of style.
''He was a conservative, savvy business man who was blown away by what he saw coming of age in the 60's. Davis transformed the staid Columbia label into a powerhouse. The list and breadth of those stars he buoyed, his ups and downs both in business and personal life, are the stuff of legend befitting one of the all time greats.''
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