Think of a mega-star from the past 40 years of popular music, and odds are, producer Clive Davis had a hand in propelling them to fame. Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Simon & Garfunkel, Carlos Santana, Lou Reed, Rod Stewart, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera and many more attained stardom through pop hits shaped by Davis. Now 80, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is still the chief creative officer of Sony Music Entertainment, and he's written a memoir that recounts his journey: "The Soundtrack of My Life."
Released Tuesday, the book has already caused a stir--Davis is now admitting he's bisexual and has been in relationships with men for the last 20 years--but, headline-grabbing revelations aside, at heart Davis is a music man. Here, he tells Bookish about his favorite books that reveal how great music gets made--from Keith Richards' "fascinating picture of sex, drugs and rock and roll" to Stephen Sondheim's innovations in musical theater.
Plus, listen to Davis read from the introduction to the audiobook and discuss his remarkable life.
