*The Apollo Theater is known to shine a light on music’s biggest stars, but it was the man behind many of those hitmakers that recently commanded the spotlight.
USA Today reports Clive Davis received the Legacy Award, June 4 at the Apollo’s annual spring benefit. More than $5 million was raised at the event, which will go to renovating the Apollo and expanding its footprint in Harlem.
Davis’ recognition at the Apollo marks the latest in a stream of achievements for the man who is noted for his association with many music legends which include Bruce Springsteen, Barry Manilow, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston. The music exec’s alliance with Houston is well known, with him discovering the “How Will I Know” singer when she was 19 and being associated with her until her death in 2012 at age 48 on the night of his Pre-Grammy Gala at the Beverly Hilton.
Accepting his latest honor, Davis noted the significance of the Apollo over the years while acknowledging that it’s time for an upgrade to the famed venue
“After 91years, anyone, especially this great theater, deserves a modernization,” the 92-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer told USA Today before the event. “I can’t wait to see the new Apollo Theater.”
The new Apollo will boast a look that includes new seats, an expanded lobby and a retooling of its iconic marquee. The esteemed theater, which opened in 1914, has been a staple in the Harlem as well as a beacon of Black culture, with a memorable slate of performance contributing to its legacy from Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Richard Pryor, Michael Jackson and Redd Foxx.
In 2024, the Apollo’s status as an iconic American institution was highlighted via special honors bestowed by the Kennedy Center. Despite the recognition, President Donald Trump made a statement on day one of his second term, when he issued an executive order to crack down on what he referred to as “illegal and radical” diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
Busta Rhymes and Dapper Dan shared thoughts on the state of the Apollo and its future before the event, telling USA Today that he liked the renovation of the theater “so long as establishment’s narrative doesn’t change and the history doesn’t get erased or removed.”
“I hope they keep people from the community like myself involved in it,” Dapper Dan told the outlet regarding the theater’s expansion. “I’m deeply concerned about the way culture is being held back by those people in power. So our hope that the liberty that we have to express our culture is not curtailed by people in power.”
Taking the stage to honor Davis were Method Man, Deborah Cox, Shoshana Bean and Rhymes, who performed a medley of hits.
Recalling Davis’ support for Houston, record executive Larry Jackson detailed the record label head’s public and private assistance to artists.
“When Whitney post-divorce fell on a bit of hard times, (Davis) was there with huge financial and consistent support for her,” Jackson said, noting Davis’s goal of helping the “Waiting to Exhale” entertainer “pick up the pieces and put them back together” after her 2006 divorce from Bobby Brown.
Jackson cited a performance in 2001 where Houston looked “skeletal,” when he revealed he stayed “up until 2 in the morning with Clive on the phone that night talking about what we should do to intervene.”
In addition to Jackson, Houston’s sister-in-law, Pat Houston, spoke at the ceremony, acknowledging how close the late vocalist was to Davis and her wish that “Whitney were here to speak instead of me.
“I could never speak about Clive and not mention Whitney, and I can never speak about Whitney without speaking of Clive,” Pat Houston voiced. “The only thing I wish for tonight is Whitney were here to speak instead of me, because I know how proud she would be of you at this moment.”
In addition to Davis, Teyana Taylor was recognized as she made history, taking home the inaugural Innovator Award. Taylor’s fellow Harlem native and fashion designer Dapper Dan along with her co-star in the new Netflix film “Straw,” daytime TV host Sherri Shepherd, were on hand to present the honor.
In her acceptance speech, a grateful Taylor thanked Shepherd for her sisterhood, Dapper Dan for his mentorship and Method Man for believing in her. Before acknowledging her family and colleagues, took time to thank God with a prayer she wrote.
“This little innovative little Harlem girl you see being honored tonight has a tribe that helps me be the greatest that I can be,” Taylor, 34, said. “Thank you for having my back, my front (and) both sides.”
MOR NEWS ON EURWEB: Apollo Theater Raises Millions: Honors Clive Davis, Teyana Taylor at Star Studded Gala | WATCH
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