Clarence Avant, known as the “godfather of black entertainment,” has died, his family confirmed Monday. He was 92.
A statement provided by his family including son-in-law Ted Sarandos, the Netflix Co-CEO, announced Mr. Avant’s passing “with a heavy heart,” and said he had “passed away gently” at his Los Angeles home Sunday.
“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.”
News of Mr. Avant’s death comes a year and eight months after the death of his wife of 54 years Jaqueline Avant. Mrs. Avant, 81, was shot and killed by an intruder in their Beverly Hills home during the early morning hours of Dec. 1, 2021.
Considered a pioneering music executive, Avant was also a film producer and entrepreneur. In terms of music, he was recognized for discovering American singer-songwriter Bill Withers and musician Sixto Rodriguez.
Born in 1931 in North Carolina, Avant was the eldest of eight children. He started working in the music business in the 1950s and went on to manage many successful singers including Little Willie John, Sarah Vaughan, Kim Weston, Luiz Bonfa, and Wynton Kelly, among others.
He then went to work for Venture Records where he orchestrated the first joint venture between an African American artist and a major record company. Two years later, he founded Sussex Records.
In 1971, he founded Avant Garde Broadcasting and subsequently bought the first black-owned FM radio station in metropolitan Los Angeles.
“Everyone in this business has been by Clarence’s desk, if they’re smart,” Quincy Jones liked to say of him.
Won Many Awards, Inspired a Film Based on His Life
Mr. Avant’s life was depicted in a 2019 Netflix feature “The Black Godfather,” directed by Reginald Hudlin. The film garnered a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, which were written by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo.Throughout his long career, Avant earned a string of awards. He received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2016 and then a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nod in 2021.
Mr. Avant married Jacqueline “Jackie” Alberta Gray in 1967 and they had two children, the eldest of whom, Nicole Avant, is a former U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas and is the wife of Netflix’s executive Sarandos.
