Inside Clive Davis’ star-studded 90th birthday celebration
It was a party fit for a music king.
The who’s who of the music and entertainment business packed into New York City’s Casa Cipriani on Wednesday to fête Clive Davis for his 90th birthday.
The evening kicked off with “CBS Morning” anchor Gayle King interviewing the music legend, who didn’t hold back.
Davis opened up about losing his parents in his teens, the importance of family, his two marriages and even “summarily touched on” finding love with a man after his second marriage ended.
“We live in a society where love has no limits. Is that how you live your life? Love has no limits for you,” King asked.
“My story, which is summarily touched on in my autobiography and in my documentary… I think it’s a different one,” Davis, who publicly revealed his bisexuality in 2013, responded.
“I opened myself up only then for the frst time in my life to the person and not the gender,” he said to applause.
Davis claimed he had not lived “unnaturally” and that it’s imperative that his family knows he “did not have secret affairs.”
“I never had anonymous sex. I never thought that I would be with a male… People don’t believe that. I turned to the person and bisexuality when I was 55 with no hint of it in the past… that’s my true story,” he said.
David Foster hosted part two of the evening which included performances by Earth, Wind & Fire, Barry Manilow, Patti Smith, Art Garfunkel, Dionne Warwick, Kenny G and Bruce Springsteen, who performed via video because he was “quarantined in Jersey.”
Oprah, Joni Mitchell, Nancy Pelosi, Stanley Tucci, Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson, Berry Gordy, Jamie Foxx and Gloria Estefan also sent birthday wishes via video.
Alicia Keys gave a heartfelt speech and gushed about her family’s love for Davis as he husband, Swizz Beatz, beamed from the front row.
Deborah Cox, Tamron Hall, Beverly Johnson, Ann Dexter-Jones, Don Lemon, Suzanne Somers, Gianni Harrell, Richie Akiva, Marjorie “Mad Marj” Gubelmann, Katie Couric, Sandra Lee, Nelly Moudime, Greg Schriefer, Nikki Haskell, artist Paul Gerben, Republic Records founder Monte Lipman and wife Angelina were a few of the faces in the room.
Clarence Avant also made his first appearance since his wife, Jacqueline was shot and killed during a home invasion in December.
Party mayor Eric Adams was noticeably absent after declaring April 6 “Clive Davis Day.” Meanwhile, reporters shunned his predecessor Bill de Blasio and wife Chirlane McCray on the red carpet. “Good Day New York” anchor Rosanna Scotto, however, did chat him up about his thoughts on the current crime wave in New York and de Blasio appeared “clueless” about the spike, we’re told.
Mark Ronson closed out the party with a one-hour long mega mix he produced in honor of Davis and, “Lin-Manuel Miranda was there till the end and danced virtually to every number,” in the mix, an insider shared.
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