Clive Davis has posted a message on Twitter about Aretha Franklin.
He wrote: “I’m absolutely devastated by Aretha’s passing. She was truly one of a kind. She was more than the Queen of Soul. She was a national treasure to be cherished by every generation throughout the world. Apart from our long professional relationship, Aretha was my friend. Her loss is deeply profound and my heart is full of sadness.”
In 1980, when Atlantic Records dropped Aretha after 13 glorious years, Davis swooped in and signed her to Arista Records. In short order, Arista re-established Aretha’s legacy with hits like “Jimmy Lee,” “Jump to It,” “Freeway of Love,” and so on. Their association turned into a 38 year friendship, a real relationship that spilled over to social events as well.
