Music executive Clarence Avant and his wife Jacqueline Avant attend Premiere Of Netflix's 'The Black Godfather' at Paramount Theater on the Paramount Studios lot on June 03, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Clarence Avant has died at the age of 92. Photo: AFP
Clarence Avant, the entertainment executive who is counted among the music world's most impactful figures, died over the weekend, a statement from his family said Monday (Aug 14). He was 92 years old.
Avant "passed away gently at home" in Los Angeles on Sunday, said his children Nicole and Alex Avant, as well as Nicole's husband, Netflix executive Ted Sarandos.
"Through his revolutionary business leadership, Clarence became affectionately known as 'The Black Godfather' in the worlds of music, entertainment, politics, and sports," the statement said.
"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."
Avant was born on February 25, 1931 in small-town North Carolina, the oldest of eight.
After spending most of his childhood in North Carolina he moved to New Jersey as a teenager, getting his start in the music business as a club manager of Teddy P's Lounge in Newark. He later was mentored by the longtime Louis Armstrong manager Joe Glaser.
He went on to become one of the most revered players in music and beyond, an advocate and mentor who pushed the boundaries for Black entertainers in an industry rife with racism.
Avant helped establish Venture Records, the first joint effort between a Black-owned music company and a major record label, in this case, MGM.
He later launched Sussex records, and signed the likes of Bill Withers.
Avant worked at an array of other labels, produced films and also brokered deals for Black athletes including baseball superstar Hank Aaron.
"He's the perennial godfather of our business," Quincy Jones said in 2006, in an interview with Billboard. "Everyone in our business has been by Clarence's desk, if they're smart."
Avant also consulted at Motown, and worked with other top producers including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis as well as Babyface.
He's been credited with burnishing the careers of countless artists, including Jones as well as Pharrell Williams, Snoop Dogg and Whitney Houston.
"Clarence Avant connects us all through his incredible impact since before I was born up until now. He's the godfather to so many of us – and not just African Americans, most of the industry," Pharrell said in a statement in 2019, ahead of the release of the Netflix documentary The Black Godfather.
In 2021, Avant's wife of over 50 years, Jacqueline, was fatally shot at age 81, during a break-in of the couple's Beverly Hills home.
Earlier that year Avant received special accolades from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Recording Academy has also bestowed a number of honours on him and in 2007 he received the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAACP.
Tributes to Avant began pouring out upon news of his death, including from Jay-Z's company Roc Nation, which hailed "a true pioneer" who "burst through doors and tore down ceilings, changing lives and providing opportunities for generations."
"Clarence Avant isn't just the 'Godfather Of Black Music,' he is our cultural Godfather," the company said.
Bill and Hillary Clinton, the former US president and secretary of state, said in a joint statement they were "saddened by the passing of our friend."
"It was impossible to spend time with him and not come away feeling more positive and wanting to follow his example." – AFP
