For decades, Clive Davis has been known solely as the music maestro behind the careers of superstars like Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Davis. But in his new memoir, The Soundtrack of My Life, which hits stores today, Davis finally lets fans in on the intimate and personal stories of the man behind the mogul. But the biggest shocker of all is Davis’ revelation that he is bisexual.
The 80-year-old record executive has never publicly discussed his sexuality, but thanks to his two marriages, which resulted in four kids, many just assumed that Davis was heterosexual. But, according to Rolling Stone, in a candid five-page section near the end of the memoir, Davis details a night at the famous Studio 54 in which he had his first sexual experience with a man.
“On this night, after imbibing enough alcohol, I was open to responding to his sexual overtures,” writes Davis, who says he had only been with women before. Being with a man, he writes, provided “welcome relief.”
After doing some “soul searching and self-analysis,” Davis separated from his second wife in 1985. Afterward, he says he began simultaneous relationships with two women and one man. In 1990, he began a “monogamous relationship” with an unnamed male doctor that lasted until 2004. Davis has been in a relationship with another man ever since.
According to the music mogul, his coming out process was a trying time for him and his son, Mitchell, who he claims struggled with accepting his father’s sexuality. But Davis says that after “one very trying year,” he and Mitchell were able to resolve their differences.
We commend Davis for opening up about his sexuality and providing a face for bisexuality to those just like him and others who are struggling to accept their sexuality or that of others. Hopefully, his brave revelation pushes the music industry and society at large in the direction to accepting diversity across the board.
And he’s not the only star to open up their sexuality to the world. Check out some other shocking celebrity coming out moments below. –nicholas robinson
