Clarence Avant, renowned for his pivotal role in launching and nurturing the careers of luminaries like Quincy Jones and Bill Withers, has passed away at the age of 92. Often revered as the "Godfather of Black Music," Avant's legacy is marked by his remarkable contributions.
Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, Avant breathed his last on Sunday at his residence in Los Angeles, as confirmed by a statement from his family on Monday morning.
Avant evolved into a figure of enduring and extensive impact. During the 1950s, he established himself as a manager, representing notable figures like singers Sarah Vaughan and Little Willie John, as well as composer Lalo Schifrin, renowned for crafting the iconic theme for "Mission: Impossible." Throughout the 1970s, he played a pioneering role in supporting Black-owned radio stations. Later, in the 1990s, he assumed leadership at Motown following its acquisition from founder Berry Gordy Jr.
He additionally initiated record imprints like Sussex (a fusion of two Avant-garde passions: achievement and intimacy) and Tabu. These labels featured notable artists such as Withers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the S.O.S Band, and an enigmatic singer-songwriter named Sixto Rodriguez. It was many years later that Sixto Rodriguez gained fame through the Academy Award-winning documentary titled "Searching for Sugarman."
Additional activities occurred with less fanfare. Avant, acting as an intermediary between the entertainment and business sectors, facilitated the transfer of Stax Records to Gulf and Western in 1968. This role was assigned to him by Stax executive Al Bell. Avant also played a role in fundraising for Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, provided assistance to Michael Jackson in arranging his inaugural solo tour, and offered guidance to a new generation of admirers including Narada Michael Walden, L.A. Reid, Babyface, and others.
Clarence Avant, born in 1931, grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina, as one of eight children raised by a single mother. He left high school before completing it and relocated northward. With the assistance of a friend from North Carolina, he secured a job overseeing a lounge in Newark, New Jersey.
As Avant's prominence grew in entertainment, his engagement in politics also intensified. He stood as an early advocate for Tom Bradley, the inaugural African American mayor of Los Angeles. Furthermore, he took on the role of executive producer for the documentary "Save the Children" in 1973, which chronicled a fundraising concert supporting the Rev. Jesse Jackson's "Operation PUSH." In a notable instance three years prior, upon discovering that civil rights luminary Andrew Young was vying for a Congressional seat in Georgia, Avant reached out with a phone call to express his support.
