Music executive and movie producer Clarence Avant, known as the "Godfather of Black Music," has passed away at age 92, the New York Times reports.
“It is with a heavy heart that the Avant/Sarandos family announce the passing of Clarence Alexander Avant," read a statement from his children, Nicole and Alexander Avant, along with his son-in-law Ted Sarandos. "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 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. Clarence passed away gently at home in Los Angeles on Sunday, August 13, 2023. He was 92.”
Born February 25, 1931, in Greensboro, North Carolina, Avant started his career in the music industry as a nightclub manager. He later helped managed the careers of several prominent musicians throughout the '60s, including Little Willie John, Mission Impossible theme composer Lalo Shifrin, and Jimmy Smith among countless others. He was also a prominent figure at Venture Records Inc. from 1967 until its closure in 1969, at which point he founded Sussex Records. He also founded the R&B and funk label Tabu Records. Following the sale of Motown Records to Polygram in 1993, he was named the chairman of the iconic company.
In his later years, Avant served as a mentor to the likes of L.A. Reid, Jimmy Iovine, Sylvia Rhone, and Jheryl Busby. He was also involved with Interior Music Group and Avant Garde Music, two publishing companies that he operated until they were bought by Universal in 2018.
Avant notably advised some of the biggest musicians around, including Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams, Jante Jackson, Whitney Houston, Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx, and Quincy Jones, who once said, "Everyone in this business has been by Clarence’s desk, if they’re smart.”
Avant produced the 1973 documentary Save the Children, which featured footage of Black artists performing at the Operation PUSH Black Expo alongside footage of children suffering from the impact of war. Netflix released a documentary, directed by Reginald Hudlin, about Avant in 2019. Entitled The Black Godfather, the doc explores the extensive influence he had within the music industry and beyond. It includes interviews with former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, and the countless individuals who worked with or were mentored by Avant throughout his extensive career.
In an interview with Variety in 2016, Avant was asked how he was able to foster a career filled with so many achievements. “My whole career has been like this,” he said. "People ask me, ‘how did you do all this?’ How the fuck do I know? I just do things. I just like to take shots.”
You can read tributes to Avant below.
Tributes
