Bruce Springsteen signed me when it was nothing to do with live performances," said the music industry legend who turned 90 in April.
Rock stars aren’t born, they’re made -- but Bruce Springsteen had to get some help when he started his career.
Clive Davis was the perfect man to help. He was seven years into his tenure at Columbia Records when he met the future Boss, in 1972. Springsteen was only in his 20s when he wrote his first songs. However, his songs showed a remarkable maturity and a level of wisdom that is unmatched by his years. His stage craft needed work.
Davis, who turned 90 in April, told PEOPLE that Bruce Springsteen signed him. He just stood there. He auditioned to be my assistant and just stood there and played the guitar and sang his tunes.
Davis, who had mentored and signed the likes Janis Joplin and Santana and Chicago, knew a talented artist as soon as he saw one. I listened to his poetry and imagery. He has gone on to become our poet laureate along with Bob Dylan and Patti Smith.
So Davis temporarily resigned from the issue of poor stage moves. It was for a while a non-issue. Springsteen was still a newcomer to small clubs in Manhattan like Max's Kansas City. There was not much of a stage. Davis then booked Springsteen to perform a showcase at the Ahmanson Theater, Los Angeles on May 1, 1973. He was joined by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show as well as New Riders of the Purple Sage. Springsteen had to turn it up because this was not a downtown dive.
Davis recalls, "I was at rehearsal." "Springsteen appeared on this enormous stage the size of Radio City Music Hall and sang his songs. I am alone in the theater and walk up to the stage. I tell him that it's the first time that I have seen you on a large scale stage. It happens in small clubs, so I didn't know if you would move. "Would you consider?" -- You have to be sensitive -- "Would you consider [moving]?" Consider this.
Davis led him from one end of the stage to another, as if he was preparing his star player for the big game. "I told him, 'Don’t do it if you don’t feel like it, but I know the potential of the songs would lend themselves to more physical movement from your part.'
