Grammy-winning producer Clive Davis would throw a party every year before the Grammys at the Beverly Hilton — and every year, Michael Jackson would be unable to come.
He would call and say, "I think I can come. I want to come this year; I know it's such a great night." He would call me and ask, "Who's coming this year?" And I'd tell him, you know, that I was going to bring on the O'Jays, because they were part of my earlier career. And he'd say, "Oh, you gotta make them sing 'Love Train,' " or "You gotta make them sing 'Back Stabbers'!" His enthusiasm for music was so palpable, and his familiarity with the music. Whether I was bringing on the younger generation or Johnny Mathis, he would say things like, "Oh God, what he did with 'Chances Are' " or "The Twelfth of Never." Those moments are very special to me. He never failed to immerse himself in the beauty and power of music. We'd speak for an hour, two hours. We were both convinced we'd have such a great night, but then, of course, it never did occur.