Clarence Avant

President
Avant Garde and Interior Music Corp.

Clarence Avant is a music executive who is widely renowned for his
sincere dedication to pioneering opportunities within the recording industry.
During his 40 year career, 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, 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, Avant signed recording artists Bill Withers, Dennis Coffey,
The Presidents, in addition to playing a key role in the successful rise of
Grammy winning producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

Acknowledged as a father figure by numerous performers and producers,
Avant has been honored publicly for his positive contributions to society. In
1993, 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. Today, Avant is president of his own
publishing companies, Avant Garde and Interior Music Corp. Clarence
Avant also serves a member of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the
Pepsi-Cola African-American Advisory Board. Avant was recently awarded
with an honorary doctorate from prestigious Morehouse College. Avant had
the February 11, 2006 issue of Billboard magazine (with him on the cover)
dedicated to him for his birthday, which was filled with congratulations from
a long list of celebrities and entertainment industry giants.

On February 10, 2008, the National Association of Recording Arts and
Sciences awarded him the Trustees Award.