Clive Davis loves a good party, we know that.
He’s famous for his pre-Grammy parties in Los Angeles every winter.
The legendary music mogul doesn’t mind celebrating his birthday every year, too. Why not? He was an orphan from an early age, and built a big family around him.
On Saturday night, Davis — the man who brought us hundreds of superstars from Janis Joplin to Whitney Houston — celebrated his 94th turn around the sun with a spur of the moment gathering at Prive at Le Bernardin restaurant in midtown. Yes, it’s the number 1 dining establishment in America. Did you expect anything less?
It was all family and friends, including a few people from show business like Broadway producers Fran and Barry Weissler, actress Brenda Vaccaro, entertainment mogul Charles Goldstuck, philanthropists Francine LeFrak and Rick Friedberg, and so on. Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law who runs her estate, flew in from Atlanta.
Everyone in the room had a Clive story. There were plenty of accounts of his nightly going out in Miami this winter. A group from down there recounted going to see Lady Gaga’s show recently.
From LA, there was talk of Davis recently having dinner at Joni Mitchell’s house (that’s where this picture comes from).
Clive thanked philanthropist Iris Smith for underwriting the NY Philharmonic when they played in Central Park for his “Welcome Back” concert a couple of years ago. He also gave a beautiful shout out to his remarkable partner of 21 years, Greg Schriefer. There were loving toasts from Clive’s sons, Fred and Douglas, and grandson Charlie. Davis is a great grandfather now!
Pat Houston was summoned to the microphone where she expressed her thanks and gratitude for their long relationship. “If Whitney were alive, she’d be sitting right next to Clive at his table,” she said. “That’s how close they were.”
What’s next? “Knock wood,” Clive declared, “95!”
