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Tuesday, August 15, 2023

REMEMBERING INDUSTRY LEGEND CLARENCE AVANT

A FORCE FOR EQUALITY AND ENFRANCHISEMENT IN THE INDUSTRY

Clarence Avant with Diddy, JAY-Z and Sony/ATV chief Jon Platt at Roc Nation's Grammy brunch in 2019

Clarence Avant, the executive whose leadership earned him the sobriquet "The Black Godfather," died Sunday (8/13) at his home in Los Angeles. He was 92.

Avant's family announced his death, writing, “Through his revolutionary business leadership, Clarence became affectionately known as 'The Black Godfather' in the worlds of music, entertainment, politics and sports. Clarence leaves behind a loving family and a sea of friends and associates who 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.”

Avant founded Sussex Records and Tabu Records in the 1970s and '80s and was chairman of Motown Records in the '90s. He negotiated Creed Taylor’s deal with A&M for CTI Records and the sale of Stax Records to Gulf+Western. Early on he managed jazz and blues artists like Jimmy Smith and Little Willie John. And he launched one of the first fully black-owned radio stations, Los Angeles' KAGB FM.

Among the artists Avant signed to his labels were Bill Withers, the SOS Band, Alexander O’Neil and Cherrelle. He connected Janet Jackson with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and promoted Michael Jackson’s 1988 Bad tour.

Over time he became a key mentor to executives in the biz, among them Sylvia Rhone, L.A. Reid, Babyface, Jheryl Busby, Jon Platt, Irving Azoff, Snoop Dogg, Sean Combs and Jam and Lewis.

"Clarence Avant’s extraordinary musical legacy has been felt for decades and will be felt for decades to come," reads a quote issued by UMG boss Sir Lucian Grainge. "He will be remembered as both a brilliant catalyst and protector of culture. His understated yet powerful influence transcended music, spanning the worlds of entertainment, sports and politics. I am profoundly grateful for his friendship and mentorship. We have lost an incomparable visionary whose brilliance, humor, irreverence and love made the world a better place. On behalf of everyone at UMG, we offer our deepest condolences to Nicole, Ted and Alex and to their entire family."

Clive Davis said, “Clarence Avant was truly one of a kind. His passing is a great loss of someone who is irreplaceable. Clarence’s extraordinary contribution to music and the barriers he broke throughout his career are unrivaled. He was the mentor to Black executives in the music industry for decades, providing invaluable guidance and support while always standing up for equal rights. Clarence was humane and fair and inspired love and respect from all who knew him. I loved him and will miss him forever.”

"Clarence Avant was a great friend of ours," reads a note jointly issued by music greats Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. "He definitely made his mark in the industry. He will be truly missed. We send our sincere condolences to his family."

"There are no words that can fully capture Clarence Avant’s influence," reads a quote from UMPG Chairman/CEO Jody Gerson. "He was a legend—a pioneering force in music, devoted champion for Black artists, cultural trailblazer and powerful voice for humanitarian efforts. Clarence’s legacy will live on through the many artists, songwriters, producers, executives and friends he mentored and supported. All of us at UMPG send our deepest condolences to his family and all who knew and loved him."

"This man was a true legend... a national treasure," reads a statement from RECORDS CEO Barry Weiss. He was like a second father to me. Complex, brilliant, a tough, hard exterior but a beautiful, thoughtful, kind gentleman on the inside. He was always there for me and my father, and we were always there for him. Nothing I can say here can come close to describing what an amazing person Clarence was. So I'll leave most of the words to the many others, the legions of industry executives and artists (not to mention the nation's presidents) that Clarence helped. There'll never be another like him. My last time hugging him in L.A. in February is a hug I'll never forget. We all love you, Clarence. Rest easy."

Born in Climax, North Carolina, Avant moved to New Jersey as a teenager and got his first music-business job as manager of Teddy P’s Lounge in Newark. Little Willie John hired him as his manager and amid their travels, Avant met the man who would become his first mentor, Louis Armstrong’s manager, Joe Glaser. It was Glaser’s advice of “aim high” that Avant would live by, earning him recognition as one of the toughest negotiators around.

Based in L.A., he entered the label business, putting together the first major-label JV for a Black artist, William “Mickey” Stevenson, and launching Venture Records with MGM in 1967, a year after he created his independent production company, Sussex Productions. After MGM pulled the plug on Venture, Avant opened Sussex Records in late 1969. It scored hits by Withers, Dennis Coffey, The Presidents and Gallery during its five-year run.

Avant was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, having received the Industry Icon Award at the 2019 Grammys and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016. Also bestowed upon him were the American Bar Association Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice's Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award, an NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame Award and a BET Honors Entrepreneur Award. In 2008 the Recording Academy recognized him with its Trustees Award.

In addition to artists and executives, Avant’s counsel was sought by athletes like Muhammad Ali, Henry Aaron and Jim Brown. For Ali, he secured a variety special on ABC. He orchestrated Brown’s jump from the NFL to the movies, helped build Freedom National Bank of Harlem for Jackie Robinson and negotiated what was then the biggest endorsement deal in professional sports for Aaron.

A lifelong Democrat, Avant advised presidents as well—Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George Bush and Barack Obama. “It was impossible to spend time with Clarence Avant and not come away feeling more positive and wanting to follow his example,” Clinton wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “Hillary and I just loved him.”

After leaving Motown, Avant continued to operate his Interior Music Group and Avant Garde Music publishing companies until they were sold in 2018 to Universal Music Group.

Avant's life was chronicled in the 2019 documentary The Black Godfather. His wife of 54 years, Jackie, died in December 2021.

TAGS: Clarence Avant | obits
 
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