# Gerry Griffith Dies at 87

> Music executive who discovered Whitney Houston dies after five-year dementia battle.
- Title: Gerry Griffith Dies at 87 · The Hollywood Reporter | Shortify
- Summary: Music executive who discovered Whitney Houston dies after five-year dementia battle.
- Keywords: gerry griffith, whitney houston, arista records, clive davis, dementia, music executive, The Hollywood Reporter
- Source: The Hollywood Reporter — https://hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-news/gerry-griffith-dead-whitney-houston-discovered-1236754931
- Author: Ethan Millman
- Published: 2026-11-13T20:34:37+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: gerry griffith, whitney houston, arista records, clive davis, dementia, music executive
## Gerry Griffith
Gerry Griffith, the music executive who discovered Whitney Houston while serving as vice president of A&R at Arista Records, died Nov. 5 after a five-year battle with dementia, his family announced. He was 87.
## Whitney Houston
He first saw Houston perform in New York and brought her to Clive Davis, who signed her to a record deal in 1983.
## Career Highlights
Houston rose to global superstardom with generational hits including 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)', 'I Will Always Love You', and 'Greatest Love of All'.
## Key takeaway

Gerry Griffith, music executive who discovered Whitney Houston, died at 87 after five years with dementia.