Clarence Avant: Music industry legend known as the 'Black Godfather' dies aged 92

Clarence Avant, whose endowment arsenic a manager, mentor and deal-maker earned him the nickname 'The Godfather of Black Music', has died aged 92.

A erstwhile caput of Motown, helium worked with everyone from Bill Withers to Michael Jackson, and founded 1 of America's archetypal Black-owned vigor stations.

Avant died astatine location successful Los Angeles connected Sunday, his household said successful a statement.

It comes 20 months aft his wife, Jacqueline, was changeable and killed by an intruder successful their Beverly Hills home.

"Clarence leaves down a loving household and a oversea of friends and associates that person changed the satellite and volition proceed to alteration the satellite for generations to come," said the family.

"The joyousness of his bequest eases the sorrow of our loss."

Avant's database of accomplishments was agelong and varied. A erstwhile nightclub manager, his estimation arsenic a pugnacious negotiator attracted the attraction of psyche vocalist Little Willie John, who asked him to go his manager.

That brought him to the attraction of amusement manufacture seasoned Joe Glaser, who managed the likes of Louis Armstrong and Barbra Streisand.

Glaser took Avant nether his wing, handing him immoderate clients - including Mission: Impossible composer Lalo Schifrin - and encouraging him however to adjacent deals.

"Joe Glaser taught maine [to] purpose high," he told Variety Magazine successful 2016. "You can't locomotion up the Empire State gathering - you'll get tired, your knees mightiness springiness out. But you tin thrust the elevator and locomotion down. You ever purpose up here, and locomotion down aboriginal if you person to."

Before long, he'd negotiated a six-figure woody for jazz shaper Creed Taylor astatine A&M Records, contempt the information helium was already contracted to different label.

Avant went connected to negociate Sarah Vaughan, Freddie Hubbard and Kim Weston - who duetted with Marvin Gaye connected It Takes Two.

He besides founded 2 grounds labels, Sussex and Tabu, and utilized the erstwhile to motorboat the vocation of Bill Withers.

A erstwhile craft mechanic, Withers had been rejected by virtually each different grounds institution successful America - but Avant heard thing successful his laid-back, ruminative benignant and steered songs similar Ain't No Sunshine and Lean On Me to planetary success.

The enforcement besides discovered and signed Sugarman vocalist Sixto Rodriguez, whose records flopped successful the 1970s but became cult classics earlier his rediscovery done the Oscar-winning documentary Searching For Sugarman successful 2012.

In the 1980s, Tabu Records scored hits with the S.O.S. Band, Cherrelle and Alexander O'Neal portion launching the careers of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis arsenic a songwriting team.

They would spell connected to people 16 US fig 1 singles, including Usher's U Remind Me, George Michael's Monkey and the Janet Jackson tracks Together Again and That's The Way Love Goes.

In 1989, Avant besides represented songwriters LA Reid and Babyface arsenic they launched LaFace Records - a associated task with Arista Records that acceptable stars similar Toni Braxton, TLC, Outkast and Pink connected the roadworthy to fame.

He was besides the promoter of Michael Jackson's Bad circuit successful 1987, which earned $125m/£99m ($336m/£266m successful 2023 figures) worldwide.

Avant was named Motown president successful 1993, overseeing a play of occurrence for artists including Boyz II Men, Johnny Gill and Shanice.

Among his much colourful escapades, helium sabotaged a TV programme that was planned arsenic a rival to Soul Train; brokered bid amongst warring rights holders for an E.T. tie-in album; and arranged harmless transition for P Diddy successful the aftermath of the Notorious B.I.G.'s murder.

Outside of music, helium helped American shot subordinate Jim Brown make a vocation successful acting, and advised respective US presidents, including Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

"The guy's a stone successful each way," Clinton erstwhile commented. "His advice, per word, is worthy much than anyone I ever dealt with."

Even so, galore radical recovered it hard to pinpoint precisely what Avant did.

"What he's done is simply a precise antithetic story," said Bill Withers. "He puts radical together, and they bash what they do. How bash you enactment unneurotic a beingness from knowing people?"

He preferred to stay behind-the-scenes, remaining humble and hard-working contempt his galore accolades - including being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame successful 2021.

"Clarence is our deal-making Renaissance man. Our pope. Our rebel. Our consigliere," Epic Records' CEO Sylvia Rhone told Billboard successful 2006. "He's been a large mentor... creating a satellite of accidental for others to follow."

"Everyone successful this concern has been by Clarence's desk, if they're smart," added his lifelong person Quincy Jones. "He gets things done but doesn't bushed his thorax oregon look for credit."

Avant is survived by his daughter, Nicole Avant, a erstwhile US ambassador to the Bahamas and the woman of Netflix's main contented serviceman Ted Sarandos; and his son, Alexander.

His woman Jacqueline was a salient philanthropist who had dedicated her beingness to helping low-income neighbourhoods. She was killed successful December 2021 by a antheral who had breached into the household home.

The intruder, Aariel Maynor, plead blameworthy to first-degree execution and was sentenced to 190 years beingness successful prison.

Tributes to Clarence poured successful aft quality of his decease was confirmed connected Monday.

Bill and Hillary Clinton, the erstwhile US president and caput of state, said successful a associated connection they were "saddened by the passing of our friend."

"It was intolerable to walk clip with him and not travel distant feeling much affirmative and wanting to travel his example."

Jay-Z's company, Roc Nation, added: "Clarence Avant isn't conscionable the 'Godfather Of Black Music', helium is our taste Godfather.

"Throughout his life, helium burst done doors and tore down ceilings, changing lives and providing opportunities for generations.

"A existent pioneer, a mentor and a champion, Clarence Avant is and ever volition beryllium a elephantine among us."