In the movie Clive Davis The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Chris Perkel catalogues the life and successes of iconic music executive Clive Davis, from his miraculous start at Columbia Records through his trailblazing work at Arista Records and J Records, with a heavy dose of outstanding music sprinkled in between. More than mere biography, The Soundtrack of Our Lives is a guided tour of cultural revolution from the ’60s to the rise of hip- hop, led by a man who consistently caught the next wave before everyone else—if he didn’t just create the wave himself.
What do Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Patti Smith, Aerosmith, Alicia Keys, Barry Manilow and The Notorious B.I.G. all have in common? They are just a few of the musical superstars who visionary record executive and producer Clive Davis introduced to the world. In 1967, as a young attorney who finds himself unexpectedly promoted to president of Columbia Records, Davis quickly discovers he has an almost preternatural gift for identifying and cultivating the singers and songs that resonate with audiences. That ability, coupled with his deep admiration for musicians, innate showmanship, obsessive attention to detail and relentless drive, eventually allow him to lead three different record companies to the pinnacle of success. In Clive Davis The Soundtrack of our Lives, filmmaker Chris Perkel (The Town that Was) explores the triumphs and tragedies that shape Davis’ astonishing five-decade career as the world’s preeminent hit-maker.
