UB In Memoriam: Clarence Avant | ‘The Godfather of Black Music’

The Industry Veteran Passed Away at His Home in L.A. at Age 92.

UrbanBridgez.com August 14, 2023

4 minutes read

One Thing for Certain, Two Things for Sure…Clarence Avant is responsible for some of the greatest R&B music of our time!

Music industry veteran and legend Clarence Avant, passed way yesterday August 13th, at the age of 92 at his home in Los Angeles.

His family released the following statement; “Clarence leaves behind a loving family and a sea of friends and associates that have changed the world and will continue to change the world for generations to come. The joy of his legacy eases the sorrow of our loss.”

He become known as the “Godfather” in the music business because of his willingness to aid newcomers in the industry. Through his mentoring, many of these people have become very successful and prestigious leaders in the business.

Clarence Avant played an integral role in some of the most notable music ventures of the 20th century including brokering the first deal between an African American artist and a major record label and helping to facilitate the deal that brought Stax records to Gulf & Western. While standing at the helm of the Sussex, Tabu and Motown labels, Mr. Avant developed some of the most influential musicians and producers of our time including Bill Withers, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and The SOS Band. He also has the distinction having owned the first black owned radio station in metropolitan Los Angeles. These are a few of the accomplishments that have earned Clarence Avant the nickname “The Godfather of Black Music.”

Clarence Avant was born on February 25, 1931 in the small town of Climax, North Carolina. He went to school through his junior high years in a one-room school house before attending James B. Dudley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina.

“Everybody has been by Clarence’s desk, if they’re smart.” – Quincy Jones

At the age of sixteen, Avant decided to move to New Jersey to live with his aunt and cousin. He began working as a manager at Teddy P’s Lounge, owned by Teddy Powell, where he met the blues artist Little Willie John. Little Willie John was so impressed by Avant that he asked him to be his road manager, and more clients soon followed. In 1967, Avant helped sign William Stevenson with MGM, engineering the first joint venture between an African American artist and a major record company with the incorporation of Venture Records, Inc into MGM Records in California.

Clarence Avant was known in the business world as a great deal-maker, and in 1968, Al Bell enlisted his help to sell Stax Records to Gulf & Western. The deal was finalized for $4.3 million. The next year, Avant founded Sussex Records and bought the KAGB-FM radio station in 1973, both ventures closed in 1975. However, Clarence had realized his passion for the music business and founded Tabu Productions in 1976.

Clarence went on to represent Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Antonio “LA” Reid in connection with the launch of the joint venture between their labels, LaFace Records and Arista Records, spawning mega artists such as TLC, Toni Braxton and Outkast. In 1988, with the help of former music promoter Al Haymon, Mr. Avant promoted Michael Jackson’s “Bad” World tour, his first and only solo tour, which grossed $125 million.

Clarence was named Chairman of the Board of Motown Records in 1993. One year later, Avant worked with a group of other notable African American investors to create a $20 million investment partnership in South Africa called New Age Beverages. New Age partnered with PepsiCo to build a bottling plant in South Africa, which would be completely run by South Africans.

Clarence, along with Quincy Jones received the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Morehouse College in 2003 and received the Living Legends Foundation Award in 2007. In 2010, he was inducted into the NAACP Hall of Fame.

Timeline:

1950s – Manager at Teddy P’s Lounge in Newark New Jersey, began managing acts Sarah Vaughn, Little Willie John and Tom Wilson

1960s – In 1967 Clarence Avant brokered the first deal between an African American Artist and a major record label. In 1968 he helped sell Stax records to Gulf & Western

1969 – Sussex Records Founded – Bill Withers signed.

70s -In March 1973 he became the owner of the first African-American owned radio station in Metropolitan Los Angeles

80s – Work key mentor and advisor in the rise of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

90s – 1993 Became Chairman of the Board for Motown, 1997 First African American to serve on the International Management Board for Polygram.

00’s – President of his music publishing companies. Recipient of a doctorate from Morehouse (2003), National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences awarded him the Trustee Award (2008) Honored by BET (2013).

Clarence Avant learned the value of music publishing and copyrights and also passed along the lessons he’d learned to rising African American entertainers, producers, and executives – and to sports figures and politicians.

Among his other recognitions, Clarence Avant was awarded the key to the city of Paris in 2008. BET honored Clarence Avant at the 2013 BET Honors for his extraordinary work in Entrepreneurship.

Clarence Avant resided in Beverly Hills, California with his wife Jacqueline. He had two adult children: former U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas, Nicole Avant-Sarandos and Entertainment Executive, Alex Avant.