Black music has made an impact on the world and holds great weight when discussing Black History Month.

Clarence Avant is an individual who helped grow the Motown era, a musical phase and culture wrapped around the Civil Rights Movement.  

Avant, a Greensboro native who attended Dudley High School, is a renowned entertainment industry executive known for his profound business sense and unique deal-making skills. He served as chairman of Motown Records and is considered one of the most influential African-Americans in entertainment business history. He received the BET Honors entrepreneur award in 2013.

Known as “The Godfather of Black Music,” Avant managed a club in Newark, N.J. called Teddy Powers Lounge where artists such as Donna Washington and Dakota Staton came to perform. However, one artist Avant recalled the most was Little Willie John who made the hit song “Fever” famous before Caucasian artist Peggy Lee made it a popular hit around the U.S. “Back in those days, a black artist made songs [and] the white artist picked it up and made it into a national hit,” said Avant.

This also happened to R&B artist Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton when she recorded her biggest hit “You Ain’t Nothing but a Hound Dog,” which was taken and re-recorded by Elvis Presley.

According to Mondre Moffett, director of jazz and professor of black music studies, the stealing of black records happened so much that most artists refused to record in fear of their music being stolen. “It’s still being done today, I think, to some extent,” said Moffett. However, he said because of men like Avant and Robert “Bumps” Blackwell, music theft stopped occurring so frequently.

Moffett feels music would not be as strong as it is today if it had not been for Avant, a musical pioneer and visionary. He explained how Avant was able to look at the components of African-American music and evaluate its needs.  “It needed someone to define what it was from the inside-out rather than from the outside in, and he was able to do that,” said Moffett.

Black music would not exist today had it not also been for American composer and Avant’s favorite artist, Duke Ellington. “Duke Ellington to me was [someone] who requires you to think,” said Avant. One piece of Ellington’s in particular that Avant is fond of is called “Black, Brown, and Beige.” “The world is going black, brown, and beige as far as I’m concerned,” said Avant.  

Moffett believes Ellington is the most profound American composer of the 20th century and is the most prolific in terms of music composition and capturing the sound of African-American culture, putting it in a context of melody, harmony, and rhythm of the African-American experience. “That’s very difficult because the Black experience embodies a very broad spectrum. We come in different shades. We come in different aesthetics,” said Moffett.

Moffett says the core values of Black music have always been looking up. There was a secular style to it, but there was also spirituality. Music has evolved greatly in the Black community from jazz, disco, soul, R&B, spoken word, hip-hop, pop, to rap to name a few genres. Now that Black music has so many forms, some question its future.

Avant said he is not sure where Black music is going, but he does like a few music artists of today. “I like Rihanna because she wiggles around. I like Katy Perry. I like Justin Timberlake. I like, you know, I just like music, you know, I like good songs,” said Avant.

Moffett hopes the music becomes more meaningful. “There’s no longer a fight for freedom or there’s no longer an inspiration or a lifting, but it’s a tragic orientation without any uplift,” he said. Moffett hopes Black music can get back to uplifting this generation as well as future generations so people outside of Black music do not consequently define what black music is. “The artist should always be the one to define music,” said Moffett.

When evaluating the future of black music, Moffett thinks jazz music truly defines what black music is. He sees that black music is becoming more globalized but would like for it to become more accessible and more involved in the educational process.

Moffett further explained that black music is tradition, but not traditional and the history of it needs to be taught to the upcoming generation. He also feels that individuals should be able to attend an HBCU and be able to receive a degree in jazz music.

Black music is a powerful platform and will continue to evolve beyond tradition.

• Uniqua Quillins, Register Reporter