Clarence Avant
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Clarence Avant is a music executive who is widely renowned for his sincere dedication to pioneering opportunities within the recording industry. During his 40 year career, Avant has represented the likes of blues artist Little Willie John, rock and roll pioneer Tom Wilson, and jazz producer Creed Taylor. In the late 1960s, Avant successfully engineered the first joint venture between an African-American artist and a major record company. Under his own record companies, Sussex Records and later Tabu Records, Avant signed recording artists Bill Withers, Dennis Coffey, The Presidents, in addition to playing a key role in the successful rise of Grammy winning producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
Acknowledged as a father figure by numerous performers and producers, Avant has been honoured publicly for his positive contributions to society. In 1993, Avant was named Chairman of Motown Records and, four years later, he became the first African-American to serve on the International Management Board for Polygram. Today, Avant is president of his own publishing companies, Avant Garde and Interior Music Corp. Clarence Avant also serves a member of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the Pepsi-Cola African-American Advisory Board. Avant was recently awarded with an honorary doctorate from prestigious Morehouse College. Avant had the February 11, 2006 issue of Billboard magazine (with him on the cover) dedicated to him for his birthday, which was filled with congradulations from a long list of celebrities and entertainment industry giants.
