He was dubbed the “Godfather of Black Music,” but the deluge of tributes for Clarence Avant from a bevy of prominent people is tantamount to ones delivered for a head of state. And to some degree, Avant, who died on August 13 in Los Angeles at 92, deserved all the acclaim as a mogul in the entertainment industry, particularly as a record producer and executive.
As has been declared on many occasions in this column, you don’t have to wait a century or so to profile a distinguished Black American, although in this case, we can hardly claim Avant is unknown and unheralded. In fact, quite the contrary: He rose from being a “roadie” for Little Willie John to the helm of Motown Records.
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