Tom Hanks Hypes Up Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala with Six-Minute Intro

At Clive Davis’ and the Recording Academy’s annual pre-Grammy gala on Saturday night (Feb. 3), two-time Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks proved to be an incredibly effective hype man. The actor delivered a six-minute intro for the legendary record executive, listing more than 50 artists that Davis discovered or worked with, concluding with only slight irony that “the only reason the names Mozart, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky haven’t been mentioned is because they all died before Clive Davis graduated from Harvard [and] before he got a desk and a phone at Columbia Records.”

Davis arrived on stage at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., to thunderous applause as he pledged once again to deliver an unforgettable evening, as he has since the party started 48 years ago. 

As usual, the room included some of the biggest stars in the world, including Meryl Streep, Grace Gummer, Alex Young, Brandi Carlile, Serena Williams, Rita Wilson, Scottie Pippen, Cameron Crowe, Peter Asher, Gayle King, Max Martin, Shania Twain, Adrian Brody, Beyonce, Paris Hilton, Smokey Robinson, Nancy Pelosi, Paul, and many more.

But the brightest stars were on the stage as an incredibly diverse roster of artists performed. Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, and Ryan Gosling showcased their talents with a pitch-perfect take on “I’m Just Ken,” from Barbie. The evening also featured standout performances by Logic, Alessia Cara, Julia Michaels, Josh Groban, Sondheim, The War and Treaty, Simon & Garfunkel, Wilson, Maluma, and the iconic Barbra Streisand.

Sony Music Publishing chairman and CEO Jon Platt was recognized as the 2024 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons honoree during the gala. Public Enemy and the Isley Brothers took the stage to deliver energetic, crowd-pleasing performances in Platt’s honor. Platt expressed his gratitude and acknowledged his former colleague and intense competitor Jody Gerson, who is now CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group. He emphasized the deep respect and love they have for each other.

As the night came to a close, Maluma closed the show with a high-energy rendition of “Hawaii,” and Barbra Streisand took the audience down memory lane with her performance of “The Way We Were.”