Clive Davis On Phyllis Hyman, Whitney Houston Biopic And Racism In The Music Industry 

I had the opportunity to meet Phyllis Hyman in Philadelphia when she was recording with Norman Connors. She was so beautiful and really down to earth. Although l was only one of many fans meeting her and getting autographs, l was really impressed with how friendly she was. Some recording artists let their fame go to their heads but not Phyllis. She was special and made her fans feel special too. She had an amazing smile that could melt the coldest heart. That's how l will always remember Phyllis Hyman.

Phyllis Hyman was the greatest! Her legacy lives on. Her talents will never be matched.

I think Phyllis deserves a biopic too.

Phyllus Hyman was a songstress who didn't get her just do.

Okay Clive, we hear what you're saying. However, you evaded the real question about systemic racism within the music industry. Everyone still cashing in on Whitney.🤦🏽‍♀️

Clive Davis is the reason why Phyllis' career was stalled. He neglected her because she was not willing to play ball. He wanted someone he could mold into a pop icon and Phyllis was a seasoned performer and talent with her style already recognized. He pretty much shelved her because all of the top songs went to Whitney while the other black artists were left in the dust.

my momma taught me that if I don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all and so I am choosing to apply that same teaching to social media. so; I will just say Rest in Paradise to Queen Phyllis Hyman and Queen Whitney Houston 🙏💕🎶💯

Ooh Chile. You actually got him to speak on Phyllis. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🤎🤎🤎

I grew up on Phyliss Hyman. She occasionally frequently the gay club after hours club "Catacombs" here in Philly. Her voice and beauty are still haunting. I often imagine her singing jazz standards. I believe she would have morphed into that. She was too great of a vocalist to remain in R&B or pop. Another Nancy Wilson with the right producers. She is missed.

Very, very, veeerrrrryyyy interesting to hear what he thought of Phyllis Hyman and her artistry.

While I've never been a fan of Clive Davis I was truly enamored by the talents of the late great Phyllis Hyman. In all fairness Clive "DID NOT" sign Phyllis to his label she was part of the purchase of Ariola Records that they used to form Arista with. We all know that Clive is pop music's go to studio head so in all essence he didn't have a clue on how to present or market Phyllis being that she is/was R&B/Soul/Jazz royalty. Also a little known fact that with the purchase of Ariola came another R&B jewel in the group Chapter 8 with Anita Baker singing lead. It is rumored that he was the executive that told Anita that she couldn't sing and would not have a future in records. If in fact that is true he has to still be kicking himself in the azz for that one. However personally you must admit that he has been instrumental in all popular music for over 60 years!!!!! Out

funny, he never mentioned how he and Phyllis fought constantly on the two albums he EP'd. She didn't want a pop career because she said herself the songs were kind of silly. Clive signed Whitney as Phyllis was exposed for posing naked (before Vanessa Williams scandal) and tanked her last album on Arista. At the time, Aretha was also signed to Arista was not making the big bucks so much, so Whitney gave him a malleable young talent to mold to pop superstardom

Excellent and informative interview Clay. It became apparent that Clive felt comfortable talking to you. That's so important for ppl who do interviews. I've always maintained that Clive has become one of the scapegoats for those who need to blame someone when their favorite recording artists crash and burn. He loved Whitney. Did he reap financial and other benefits from his work with Whitney, he did! And he so deserved that. He put so much into her, trying make sure she reached the top! And she did! Like Clive stated (and like we all know) Phyl was definitely a talent. Sometimes, I don't think even she knew how much of a talent she was. But let's state some facts: Janice Joplin did heroin to the point that it ultimately killed her. Whitney (God knows I loved her so much and I thank that same God that I gotta chance to tell her so) was a crackhead! It is my belief that she had so much pressure on her from her family and friends not to mention the heavy worldwide crown and title of being "The Voice" that she could not keep up with it all. Finally, she was not living her truth either (that's just my opinion). Like Whitney once said of herself and I believe that same was true of Phyl...they were their worst enemies. Singer Alyson Williams once told me that "...for Phyllis, suicide was an option. For me, it is not, but for her, it was." I don't know why Phyl took those pills and drank that booze after locking her door from the inside. But I do know that she had tried to kill herself so many times that when she did, her "people" were so not surprised at all. Some were so cavalier, saying things like, "Oh she was always doing stuff like that." I was shocked. "Why didn't somebody help her," I cried! But I have been in "the business" long enough to know that sometimes you have to sing songs that you don't like. Tina Turner hated "What's Love Got To Do With It," and it became the biggest-selling record of her entire career! Phyl was "difficult" to Clive, she was difficult to her managers, she was lazy, she was funny, she was her own worst enemy. I wish ppl would stop hating on Clive I loved Phyl. I loved Whitney and I miss them both. I didn't know Janis, but the story of their demise, haunts me...

I think Clive Davis gets a bad rap. I met him once at my former place of employment while living on Oahu. It was a pretty toxic work environment where unfortunately I had become accustomed to my coworkers' regular attempts to diminish my input and discredit my value. So here I was the only Black person who worked there and when Mr Davis came in he seemed to naturally gravitate my way, engaging with me in a nature of respect, consideration, and a vocal expression of his appreciation for my skills and expertise which left my entitled white(and Asian) racist coworkers seething with envy. There was no pretense about it, he just seemed to organically recognize my value and feel more comfortable with me

Tell the truth, Clive Phyllis despised you because you didn't do right by her when she was on Arista records.

Damn, y’all eating CD up 😂 and it’s all so true!

if I catch wind that Whitney's bio-pic shows nothing related to her being bisexual, Im not going to see it. And I say that, because that particular issue (her sexuality) is a HUGE reason why she went down a self-destructive path, in my opinion. But whats complicated about that, is that her Mom, Im left to assume, would have to be ok with that part of her daughter's life, being shown...especially since, it was Robyn Crawford who Whitney fell in love with. And many of us know how Cissy Houston felt about Robyn. So, yea...its standard procedure to show a superstar, abusing the drugs that eventually killed them...but its a whole different ballgame to show the root causes of why they used and abused illegal substances. Clive Davis admitted some years ago, to being bisexual..so he should feel some semblance of empathy towards Whitney...but again, if her Mom is still alive when the movie is made, I just have a hard time believing that she would be ok with her daughter shown on screen, as a woman who was DEEPLY in love with another woman. I dont think Dionne Warwick would mind it...but would Cissy?...Hell no. it was also interesting listening to Clive give a very brief summation of his working "relationship' with Phyllis Hyman...a lot of people who have read David Nathan's "Soulful Divas" book, know that the chapter written about Phyllis tells a story of how she had a HUGE falling out with Clive, because he was basically ignoring her personal desire to sing and record the kind of music THAT SHE LIKED...well, Clive didnt like what she liked. H e wanted hits for her..she wanted to do other things to widen her audience, and enhance her fame. They had a huge argument...she spit in his direction...and the next thing you know, baby girl was kicked off the label at Arista Records.

Yeah he dropped Phyllis rather than give her better material to sing. Unforgivable.

Phyllis didn’t like him at all!

he s devil dame!thats because he still alive...suave!

The devil incarnate.

What a hideous human being, never liked him. Why did he always have trouble speaking, it's so hard to understand what he says, even when he was younger. Yuk!