Clarence Avant, whose abilities as a manager, mentor, and dealmaker garnered him the moniker “The Godfather of Black Music,” has passed away at the age of 92.
He worked with everyone from Bill Withers to Michael Jackson and founded one of the first Black-owned radio stations in the United States.
Clarence Avant passed away at home in Los Angeles on Sunday, according to a statement from his family.
Twenty months have passed since an intruder shot and murdered his wife Jacqueline in their Beverly Hills residence.
The family stated,
“Clarence leaves behind a loving family and an ocean of friends and associates who have changed the world and will continue to change it for generations to come.”
The happiness of his legacy lessens the pain of our loss.
Avant’s inventory of achievements was extensive and diverse. His reputation as a strong negotiator as a former nightclub manager caught the attention of soul vocalist Little Willie John, who asked him to become his manager.
This caught the attention of entertainment industry veteran Joe Glaser, who managed Louis Armstrong and Barbra Streisand, among others.
Glaser took Avant under his wing, introducing him to clients such as Mission: Impossible composer Lalo Schifrin and advising him on how to conclude transactions.
In 2016, he told Variety Magazine:
“Joe Glaser taught me to aim high.” “You cannot stroll up the Empire State Building; your legs will tire and your ankles may buckle. However, you can travel the elevator and descend on foot. You always aspire higher and, if necessary, descend later.”
Even though he was already under contract with another label, he quickly negotiated a six-figure agreement for jazz producer Creed Taylor with A&M Records.
Avant later managed Sarah Vaughan, Freddie Hubbard, and Kim Weston, who performed a duet with Marvin Gaye on It Takes Two.
Additionally, he founded two record labels, Sussex and Tabu, and used the former to establish Bill Withers’s career.
Withers, a former aircraft mechanic, had been rejected by virtually every other American record label, but Avant saw something in his laid-back, ruminative style and guided Ain’t No Sunshine and Lean On Me to international success.
The executive also discovered and signed Sugarman vocalist Sixto Rodriguez, whose 1970s recordings were flops but became cult classics prior to his rediscovery in 2012 by way of the Oscar-winning documentary Searching For Sugarman.
In the 1980s, Tabu Records produced successes for the S.O.S. Band, Cherrelle, and Alexander O’Neal, and launched the songwriting careers of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
They achieved 16 US number-one recordings, including Usher’s “U Remind Me,” George Michael’s “Monkey,” and Janet Jackson’s “Together Again” and “That’s The Way Love Is”
In 1989, Avant also represented composers LA Reid and Babyface during the launch of LaFace Records, a joint venture with Arista Records that launched the careers of Toni Braxton, TLC, Outkast, and Pink.
In 1987, he promoted Michael Jackson’s Bad tour, which grossed $125 million/£99 million ($336 million/£266 million in 2023 dollars) worldwide.
Avant was appointed chairman of Motown in 1993 and oversaw the success of performers including Boyz II Men, Johnny Gill, and Shanice.
Among his more colorful exploits, he sabotaged a planned Soul Train rival television program, mediated peace between opposing rights holders for an E.T. tie-in album, and ensured P Diddy’s safe passage following the murder of the Notorious B.I.G.
Outside of music, he advised several US presidents, including Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and helped American football player Jim Brown establish an acting career.
Clinton once commented,
“The guy is a rock in every way.” His advice is more valuable per word than anyone I’ve ever dealt with.
Nevertheless, many individuals had difficulty identifying precisely what Avant did.
Bill Withers remarked,
“What he’s done is a very odd tale.” “He brings individuals together, and they carry out their duties. How do you construct your existence by knowing people?”
Despite his many accolades, including induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, he preferred to remain in the background, remaining modest and hard-working.
“Clarence is our Renaissance man of business. Our bishop. Our deviant. Our consigliere, Sylvia Rhone, CEO of Epic Records, told Billboard in 2006. He has been a wonderful mentor, opening up a world of opportunities for others to pursue.
“Everyone in the industry has visited Clarence’s desk, if they’re smart,” his longstanding friend Quincy Jones added. “He accomplishes tasks without boasting or seeking credit.”
Clarence Avant is survived by his daughter, Nicole Avant, a former US ambassador to the Bahamas and the wife of Ted Sarandos, the chief content officer of Netflix, as well as his son, Alexander.
His wife, Jacqueline, was a prominent philanthropist who had devoted her life to assisting low-income communities. In December 2021, she was murdered by an intruder who had broken into the family residence.
Aariel Maynor, the intruder, admitted to first-degree homicide and was sentenced to 190 years to life in prison. Monday’s confirmation of Clarence’s demise prompted an outpouring of tributes.
Bill and Hillary Clinton, former president and secretary of state of the United States, said in a joint statement that they were “saddened by the passing of our friend.”
It was impossible to spend time with him and not feel more optimistic and want to emulate his behavior. Jay-Z’s company, Roc Nation, added, “Clarence Avant is not only the ‘Godfather Of Black Music,’ he is also our cultural Godfather.
“Throughout his life, he broke down doors and shattered ceilings, transforming lives and creating opportunities for generations.
“A true pioneer, mentor, and champion, Clarence Avant is and will always be a giant among us.”
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