ADE Vice Chairman Emeritus

Clarence Avant     Vice Chairman Emeritus

Mr. Avant is president of two publishing companies, Avant Garde and Interior Music Corporation, and is widely renowned for his sincere dedication to pioneering opportunities within the recording industry. During his 40 year career, Mr. 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, Mr. 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, Mr. Avant signed recording artists Bill Withers, Dennis Coffey, and The Presidents. He also played a key role in the successful rise of Grammy winning producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

In 1993, Mr. 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. He also serves as member of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the Pepsi-Cola African-American Advisory Board. The February 11, 2006 issue of Billboard magazine (with him on the cover) was dedicated to him for his birthday, which was filled with congratulations from a long list of celebrities and entertainment industry giants. Mr. Avant was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Morehouse College.