Clive Davis Reveals He is Bisexual in Memoir

Clive Davis, one of the most successful and revered music industry executives for decades now, has revealed he is bisexual. The 80-year-old, who discovered and signed superstar acts like Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen and Aerosmith, makes the announcement in his new memoir, 'The Soundtrack of My Life,' which hits stores today (Feb. 19).

Davis, a twice-divorced father of four, writes that his first relationship with a man came around 30 years ago during the Studio 54 era with a man he met at the club. He writes, "Was I nervous? Absolutely. Did the heavens open up? No. But it was satisfying."

In a preview clip from an interview Davis gave to Katie Couric, he emphasizes that some people are attracted to both genders and therefore can't be labeled gay or straight. "I’m still attracted to women," he says. "You don’t have to be only one thing or another. For me, it’s the person." He says he was in a monogamous relationship with one man for 13 years starting in 1990, and he's been partnered with another man for the past seven.

Whitney Houston and Davis had an especially close relationship, and he writes about trying in vain to help her overcome drug and health issues. The book includes a reprint of a 2001 letter he wrote to the diva after he thought she looked "skeletal." It also includes details of a heartbreaking conversation he had with Houston just a few days before her death in which she assured him she was fine. “Maybe I should have been more skeptical,” he writes, “but I’ve always been optimistic, and I felt hopeful. It felt like old times.”

Davis founded Arista Records in 1974 and experienced tremendous success but was finally forced out as label head in 2000. Undeterred, he created J Records shortly thereafter and began signing the next generation of stars, most notably Alicia Keys. He currently serves as the Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music Entertainment, and his annual pre-Grammy bash is one of the biggest parties in music.