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    The Soundtrack of My Life
    The Soundtrack of My Life
    The Soundtrack of My Life
    Audiobook22 hours

    The Soundtrack of My Life

    Written by Clive Davis

    Narrated by Clive Davis and Dennis Boutsikaris

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    About this audiobook

    Music legend Clive Davis recounts an extraordinary five-decade career in the music business, while also telling a remarkable personal story of encounters with some of the greatest musical artists of our time, including Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Simon & Garfunkel, Barry Manilow, the Grateful Dead, Patti Smith, Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, and Alicia Keys.

    Orphaned in his teens, Davis earned a full scholarship to New York University and another to Harvard Law School. He served as General Counsel of Columbia Records and, in a totally unexpected stroke of fate, became head of the company overnight. More surprisingly, he learned he had “ears,” a rare ability to spot special talent and hit records. Those ears contributed to the success of three companies—Columbia, Arista, and J—where Davis dis­covered and developed more unique artists than anyone in the history of the music industry.

    What began on the grass at the Monterey Pop Festival with the signing of Janis Joplin has evolved into a lifelong passion and calling, spanning genres, including rock, pop, R&B, country, jazz fusion, and hip-hop. His is the imprimatur that has helped shape contemporary music and, over the years, our popular culture.

    The Soundtrack of My Life is an essential book for anyone interested in the story of popular music, the fascinating ups and downs of the music business, the alchemy of hits, and the dramatic life of a brilliant leader...and listener. It is a riveting read from beginning to end.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateFeb 19, 2013
    ISBN9781442361782
    Author

    Clive Davis

    Clive Davis is the Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music. He has worked with innumerable musical stars and media personalities. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he attended New York University and Harvard Law School.

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    Reviews for The Soundtrack of My Life

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      Despite the regular moments of "I'm all that and a bag of chips in the music industry," this is an entertaining and readable account of his life as a music executive. He recounts plenty of inside moments with the stars to keep any entertainment hound happy. It also inspired me to look up some of the music of the stars he worked with, particularly those he cites as breakthroughs and of great influence in music history. Very enlightening to hear from an astute leader in music.
    • 5/5
      Incredibly insightful and food for thought in an ever changing world
    • 3/5
      There were many parts of Clive Davis's memoir that were extremely interesting. I loved hearing about his personal experiences with icons such as Janis Joplin and Bruce Springsteen. It just seemed like there was so much included, especially some of the strictly business side of the music industry, that made it a chore to get through sometimes.
    • 3/5
      Clive is a born promoter and this is an autobiography. It therefore is not surprising that the book is all about "me." He does focus on the music, and you do not learn much about his personal life. I enjoyed the anecdotes about many of the artists he signed. He still champions some of the godawful artists and crap he produced. He also yaps about artists I never heard of and how many "hits" they had, with no reference to any validating source. He shamelessly urged artists to sacrifice their art in order to get a top ten hit. Obviously for him the business was ultimately about money. Yet, one's art is no good if it does not communicate to anyone but the artist. If you have enjoyed popular music since the sixties, you will enjoy this book. If you abandoned popular music for alternative music in the eighties, the last third of this book will annoy you.