On Grammy night, the biggest names in music gather at the Staples Center in Los Angeles — but if you look closely, most seem a bit bleary-eyed.
That’s because they partied hard the night before at Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy gala. Over the last 40 years, this glam event — held Sunday night at the Beverly Hills Hilton — has come to eclipse the actual awards ceremony. Celebs of all disciplines beg to attend, but only an elite group of around 1,000 actually make it.
“It’s always a glittering night,” Davis, 83, tells The Post. Inspired by agent Irving Paul “Swifty” Lazar’s famous post-Oscar parties, the Brooklyn-born music mogul — who helmed both Arista and J Records and is currently the chief creative officer at Sony Music — sought to unite competing factions in the music industry for one night. “This is the only time we put down our armor,” he notes.
Once, a close friend of Davis’ requested her son be permitted to attend; when Davis politely turned her down, she refused to speak to him for three years.
Davis acts as master of ceremonies, orchestrating one-off performances from legends and up-and-comers. Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters — the band never misses the bash — lovingly refers to the night as “Clive Aid.” Last year’s performers included Sam Smith, Smokey Robinson, Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, and a show by Johnny Mathis that brought the house down.
The whole shebang would never have existed were it not for Barry Manilow. The crooner’s ballad “Mandy” was up for Record of the Year at the 1976 Grammys — an early success for Davis’ then-new Arista Records. Manilow was in the mood to celebrate, but Davis worried no one would show. “I thought we’d have enough people for a couple of tables at Chasen’s, which was the spot in Los Angeles at the time,” he recalls. But the likes of Stevie Wonder and Elton John came through the door and, instantly, Grammy weekend had a new ritual.
Over the years, the guest list has expanded to include figures from royalty, Hollywood, politics and beyond. Daniel Glass, CEO of Glassnote Records, reveals how his wife got a preview of the then-unreleased Apple Watch last year from the tech company’s CEO, Tim Cook. Glass also recalls Robin Williams doing an off-the-cuff comedy routine at his table in 2005, and Donald Trump refusing to shake his hand in 1994. “He’s a germaphobe,” Glass says. “I remember reaching out my hand and his bodyguard saying, ‘No, he doesn’t do that.’ ”
Having outgrown the Beverly Hills Hotel, the venue is now the massive ballroom at the Beverly Hilton. Even at a capacity of 1,000, demand for spots is intense. Once, a close friend of Davis’ requested her son be permitted to attend; when Davis politely turned her down, she refused to speak to him for three years. And the invites alone are a sight to behold: One year, Davis sent out giant ticking clocks that counted down the hours until the party.
It’s a night when anything can happen. Rod Stewart and Lou Reed teamed up in 2003 on a version of Sam Cooke’s “Having a Party.” Paul McCartney has been known to spontaneously strap on a bass and take the stage, and sometimes Aretha Franklin will get up and sing a classic as if it’s no big thing.
“[In 1994,] the party was a tribute to Aretha,” says Davis. Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight and Toni Braxton were singing an Aretha medley, and Davis passed the microphone to the Queen of Soul for the finale of “Respect.”
“She gave an all-time performance — it was pandemonium,” says Davis. “I saw her at the Grammys the next day. I said ‘Aretha, last night . . .’ and before I could give her accolades, she said, ‘Clive, last night . . . that lobster appetizer! Oh my God, it was incredible. And that chicken main dish!’ She started reviewing the food!”
But you can’t please everyone. “I remember seeing [jazz legend] Chick Corea with his wife,” says Glass. “They brought their own dinner in a crumpled, brown paper bag.”
Davis also uses his gala to introduce new acts to the room of industry tastemakers — many radio execs and talent bookers for late-night TV shows attend the party.
“[In 2004,] a young rapper begged me to put him on,” recalls Davis. “He auditioned for 20 minutes at my [hotel] bungalow. I don’t normally encourage that kind of thing, but he convinced me. That was Kanye West.”
In 2001, Davis unveiled a new act, Alicia Keys. He told Billboard, “I remember saying to Alicia, ‘I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that I am going to invite you to sing at my Grammy party. The bad news is I want you to go on after Gladys Knight sings “Midnight Train to Georgia.” ’ ”
‘In 2004 a young rapper begged me to put him on. He auditioned for 20 minutes at my hotel bungalow … That was Kanye West.’
- Clive Davis
“[Keys] sat down very calmly at the piano, played ‘Fallin’ ’ and brought the room to their feet,” remembers Tom Corson, president and COO of RCA Records. Before the end of the year, “Fallin’ ” was No. 1 on the Billboard charts.
More recently, Mumford & Sons opened the 2011 gala. “Ninety percent of the room didn’t even know who they were,” recalls Glass (the band is on his Glassnote label). “Afterward, we had the Laurel Canyon legends swarming our table. The band couldn’t believe what was happening.” Two years later, Mumford & Sons were picking up the Grammy for Best Album of the Year for “Babel.”
Like at any party, some guests misbehave. Chris Brown famously beat then-girlfriend Rihanna in a car after leaving the 2009 event, leading to Brown’s arrest. (He later pleaded not guilty to one count of assault and one count of making criminal threats.)
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Sharon Osbourne got into a spat with Maroon 5’s manager (and actor Jonah Hill’s brother), Jordan Feldstein, in 2014 that ended in her dumping a plate of food on his lap and throwing water at his head. In 1977, lawyer Brian Rohan and music mogul David Geffen squared off at a post-party breakfast. Incensed that Geffen had tried to talk to one of his clients directly, Rohan tried to throttle Geffen in front of shocked onlookers. Paul Simon had to pull them apart. “It was mortifying,” admits Davis.
More than anything, the gala will always be synonymous with Whitney Houston — Davis’ discovery who was often the belle of the ball. “Whether you were Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson or whoever, everybody was up front and mesmerized when Whitney sang,” says Davis. “When she sang ‘I Will Always Love You’ in 2000, many of us were in tears.”
There were even more tears in 2012, when Houston drowned in her bathtub at the Beverly Hilton, on the day of the planned gala.
“I was shattered,” says Davis. “We talked a couple of days before. We were making plans for a new album.” Davis elected to go on with the party as planned, despite criticism from the likes of Osbourne and Chaka Khan.
“[Houston] loved that party and was there every year because she loved music. That’s why we never considered canceling,” Davis says. “We proceeded with [Houston’s aunt] Pat Houston’s blessing and the night turned into a tribute to Whitney.”
This year, there’s a different kind of dilemma for the A-list. Davis’ party is clashing with the wedding of music mogul Jimmy Iovine, which is being held a few miles away, at David Geffen’s house. Davis doesn’t expect any empty chairs at his event, and says guests will include Sylvester Stallone, Michael Keaton, Nancy Pelosi, Russell Wilson and Ciara, to name a few. (He’s keeping the performer lineup under wraps.)
“People will be doing both out of respect for Jimmy and Clive,” says Glass. “You never know what surprise Clive will have in store.”
