Clarence Avant, known as the “The Black Godfather,” is receiving his flowers in real-time. The Grammy Award-winning music executive will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at the 36th annual ceremony later this year. Avant, who is revered as an unsung legend of the music industry, was named among the 2021 honorees on Wednesday. He is also set to receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award (dedicated to the memory of the co-founder and president of Atlantic Records) given to the non-performing industry professionals beholden for their grave impact on the creative development of the genre’s culture.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame said in its announcement, “Avant is the quintessential impresario, with an uncanny ability to connect people, open doors, and provide opportunities to countless musicians, actors, and politicians.” In 2019, Netflix released a documentary titled after Avant’s moniker to explore the never-before-heard stories of how he championed impressive deals for African American talent through the narrations of Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Snoop Dogg, and more.
Avant’s career sprouted in the 50s as a manager for Little Willie John and jazz organist Jimmy Smith. Later on, he would launch Sussex Records that boasted a roster including Bill Withers, whose hits “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lean On Me” garnered notoriety for the label. His propensity to advocate for equitable deals propelled the careers of many acclaimed musicians and landed him the role as a consultant to major record labels in the 70s. As his career, he mentored the songwriting/production teams of Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, L.A. Reid and Babyface. Once ascending to board of Motown Records as the chairman, Avant solidified his legacy as the trusted quintessential figure in a industry riddled with distrust and havoc. The 90-year-old joins Tina Turner, Jay-Z, LL Cool J and a bevy of influential icons in the inaugural induction class.
