NEW YORK — The Recording Academy has announced that its annual Clive Davis pre-Grammy gala will continue in 2027 following the business giant’s death earlier this year.
The music industry lost one of its most powerful figures in June when Davis, the titan who launched or resurrected the careers of superstars such as Janis Joplin, Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana and Alicia Keys, died in his Manhattan apartment weeks after being hospitalized for an upper respiratory tract problem. He was 94 years old.
Davis is always a memorable name in the music business, but especially during Grammy Awards season, the annual pre-Grammy gala, held every year since 1975 on the Saturday night before the Sunday awards show, has been widely regarded as one of the week’s most exclusive and popular events. Here, giants of different genres and generations come together for unique performances and celebrations.
The first Clive Davis premiere since his death will take place on February 6 next year, the night before the 2027 Grammy Awards, according to the Recording Academy.
Additional details about the premiere will follow.
“Clive turned this gala into something the entire music community has looked forward to for fifty years. He never did it for applause or recognition. He did it because he loved this community, believed in the power of music, and understood what it meant to bring us all together to celebrate,” said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. he wrote in a statement.
“I was fortunate to call Clive a friend and mentor, and working with him taught me so much,” Mason added. “That’s exactly the spirit he brought to the Pre-Grammy Gala, and I know he’ll want the show to continue this year. It’s our honor to celebrate the legacy he left behind.”
Performers at the 2026 premiere included Clipse and John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, Dan + Shay, the HUNTR/X trio singing “Golden” from “Kpop Demon Hunters,” and others.
“Clive’s gift was always to see and hear what other people didn’t see,” said former President Barack Obama in the video message played at the event, which featured Joni Mitchell, Nancy Pelosi, Berry Gordy, Jeff Goldblum, Gladys Knight, Cameron Crowe, Lana Del Rey, Brandi Carlile and many more.