Intrepid music legend Clive Davis was on his way to see a band he’d signed in 1980 when the 94-year-old was instead rushed to the hospital weeks before he died.
Davis, who passed away June 22, was remembered at Manhattan’s Central Synagogue on Monday by famous friends including Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Dionne Warwick, Barry Manilow, Ja Rule, Nancy Pelosi and Adrien Brody, among others.
One friend told us that even weeks ago, the former Columbia Records president was still, “always out, seven nights a week.” “The guy went out the way he should have. He was on the way to an Air Supply concert.”
Another source told Page Six Hollywood that Davis’ final night out was on May 29 with famed Post theater columnist and AM radio host Michael Riedel when he suddenly had to turn around and head to the hospital.
“Michael had arranged for Clive to see Air Supply when they were performing in New Jersey,” said a pal. Davis — who’d signed the Aussie act 46 years prior after hearing their tune “Lost in Love,” had told the critic to “call and use his name” to get tickets, and Reidel had tracked down Air Supply’s manager.
The band was eager to reunite with the executive, who they hadn’t seen in three decades, and who was responsible for their breakout success.
But on the way to the show, “they were in the car” when Davis’ beloved partner Greg Schriefer, “got a call from Clive’s doctor. He’d gotten back a test and said, ‘I think you need to get him to hospital,’” we hear.
That’s when Reidel “jumped out of the car outside the Holland Tunnel” in Jersey, and Davis and Schriefer headed back to Manhattan.
The critic headed to the show to tell Air Supply that Davis couldn’t make it. “They had a box for Clive, and they were really excited to see him,” said an insider.
When we reached out to Reidel, he confirmed to us, “Clive was so looking forward to seeing the guys, and it was going to a really lovely reunion.” He’d also previously told Page Six of Davis and the Air Supply show: “They had one song that had a lyric that only made sense in Australia. Clive changed one word and he was very proud of the fact that he got royalties.”
The band posted on Facebook after Davis’ death: “Clive signed us to Arista Records in 1980… His vision and incredible ability to place the right song with the right artist was simply amazing. We would not have had the career we enjoy if not for him.” And, “He was on his way to see us in Carteret, New Jersey, last month when he experienced a medical emergency in his vehicle and had to be rushed to the hospital.”
But Davis did make it to see Springsteen’s latest tour at age 94.
The Boss, 76, who was discovered by Davis at age 22 as an unknown, said at Davis’ service: “As recently as a few months ago, Clive attended my ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ tour in Newark. He’s 94 years old, he’s standing up for a three-hour show.” Springsteen added that Davis had never missed a tour.
Manilow also recalled how Davis shaped his career till the very end.
“He had this idea about an album he wanted me to record… he was so hung up on this idea, he called me twice and three times a day,” recalled Manilow. “You know when that happened? Three weeks ago!”
Summed up the singer: “I’m gonna miss him. Who am I gonna argue with?”
Also at the funeral: Jennifer Hudson, The Kinks’ Dave Davies, Mark Ronson, LL Cool J, Usher, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, Denise Rich and Kenny G.
Manilow also told the packed house that Davis inspired him to create his 1970s smash hit “Mandy,” after the exec first tried to convince the singer to cover another song, “Brandy.”
Manilow recalled of his “Brandy” cover: “Clive listened and he said, What’s that?’ I said, ‘That’s the song you sent me!’ He said, ‘That’s terrible!’ I said, ‘I know that’s terrible!’” But Manilow then reworked the tune as a ballad. When Davis told him to rename it “Mandy,” it hit No. 1 within a month.
From then on, “He would show me a song, I would turn it down, we would argue, I would rearrange it, I would record it… this went on for nearly 50 years,” Manilow said.