Carl Davis

Artist

Carl Davis

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About

American record producer, A&R, music executive, songwriter, and Chicago music icon.
He was Cliff Davis's younger brother.

Born: September 19, 1934 in Chicago, Illinois
Dead: August 9, 2012 in Summerville, South Carolina

For the U.K. based, American conductor - composer of classical and cinematic music, please use [a=Carl Davis (5)]
For the US bluegrass songwriter ("Kentucky"), see [a=Karl Davis (2)]


Davis was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 19, 1934, and attended Englewood High School. He began working as an assistant to disc jockey Al Benson on radio station WGES in 1955, and then joined a record marketing company. In the early 1960s, he helped run the small Nat record label which had a local hit with the song "Nite Owl" by the DuKays, produced by Davis. A follow-up release, "Duke of Earl", which he also produced, was credited to the group's lead singer Gene Chandler, and became a national no. 1 hit after being leased to the larger Vee-Jay label.

In 1962, he began working as a producer and A&R director for the Columbia subsidiary label OKeh, where he produced a number of hit records for Major Lance, Billy Butler, and Walter Jackson. Many were characterized as "peppy, brassy arrangements... and danceable, upbeat songs with a Latin tinge," often using songs written by Curtis Mayfield that Mayfield felt were inappropriate for his own group, The Impressions. He also continued to produce records for Gene Chandler and The Artistics, and produced Mary Wells after she left Motown.

In the mid-1960s, he began working for Brunswick Records, where he produced Jackie Wilson's comeback hit, "Whispers" and the million-seller, "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher", Barbara Acklin's "Love Makes a Woman", as well as several early hits by The Chi-Lites. He also formed the Dakar label, which had a long run of hits with Tyrone Davis (no relation), including "Can I Change My Mind" and "Turn Back the Hands of Time," and also found success with Hamilton Bohannon.

When the Dakar label folded in 1976, he formed Chi Sound Records, continuing to find success with Walter Jackson and having a major hit single in 1978 with Gene Chandler's "Get Down". After a distribution deal with 20th Century Records ended in 1981, he used independent distribution for two years before closing Chi Sound down. The company had a brief revival in 1989-90 before re-opening in 2007, and remained active until his death.

Davis died from pulmonary fibrosis at the age of 77, in his home in Summerville, South Carolina on the morning of August 9, 2012. On February 11, 2013, he was honored during the 55th Grammy Awards ceremony. His biography, "The Man Behind the Music: The Legendary Carl Davis", was published in May 2011, by Life To Legacy, LLC, Matteson IL.

Data provided by Discogs

Top Tracks

Most popular songs on Last.fm · click ▶ to preview on Spotify

1

Pride and Prejudice Suite: III. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy

Carl Davis

2

Pride and Prejudice - Main Theme

Carl Davis

3

Pride and Prejudice

Carl Davis

4

Alice in Wonderland: Act I: Alice and her Sister

Carl Davis

5

Cranford: Cranford Theme

Carl Davis

Releases

No releases found yet · refresh to fetch from Discogs

Setlists

20 live performances · data from Setlist.fm

All · 20
2026
2025

Setlist data provided by Setlist.fm

February 22, 2026

Ain't Enough Road

The OVO Hydro

Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom


February 20, 2026

Ain't Enough Road

The SSE Arena Belfast

Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

  • 1. Ain't Enough Road

  • 2. Turn This Truck Around

  • 3. Bar None

  • 4. Slow Dance in a Parking Lot

  • 5. Lose You

  • 6. Almost Maybes

  • 7. three little birds (Bob Marley cover)

  • 8. Little Lime

  • 9. Her Way Or The Highway

  • 10. Next Thing You Know

  • 11. Son Of A Gun

  • 12. Know You Like That

  • 13. Tucson Too Late

  • 14. Singles You Up

  • 15. Church in a Chevy

  • 16. Starting Over(Chris Stapleton cover)

  • 17. 3 AM / Red Dirt Road / Man I Need (Olivia Dean) / Wagon Wheel / Mr. Brightside

  • 18. I Ain't Sayin'

  • 19. Take It From Me

  • 20. Buy Dirt

  • 21. What My World Spins Around


December 31, 2025

Camping World Stadium

Orlando, Florida, United States

  • 1. Ain't Enough Road

  • 2. Turn This Truck Around

  • 3. Bar None

  • 4. Slow Dance in a Parking Lot

  • 5. Louisiana Stick

  • 6. Almost Maybes

  • 7. A Little Lime

  • 8. Next Thing You Know

  • 9. Son Of A Gun

  • 10. Tucson Too Late

  • 11. Singles You Up

  • 12. I Ain't Sayin'

  • 13. Take It From Me

  • 14. Buy Dirt

  • 15. What My World Spins Around


December 31, 2025

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

  • 1. Bar None


October 25, 2025

Hertz Arena

Estero, Florida, United States

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Carl Davis' most-played tracks include Pride and Prejudice Suite: III. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice - Main Theme, Pride and Prejudice, Alice in Wonderland: Act I: Alice and her Sister, Cranford: Cranford Theme. Listen to these songs and explore more from their catalog on this page.

American record producer, A&R, music executive, songwriter, and Chicago music icon. He was Cliff Davis's younger brother.Born: September 19, 1934 in Chicago, IllinoisDead: August 9, 2012 in Summerville, South CarolinaFor the U.K. based, American cond... Read the full biography on this page.

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