Clifton Davis
Clifton Davis |
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Clifton Duncan Davis (born October 4, 1945) is an American actor who has appeared on television shows such as A World Apart (playing Matt Hampton) and That's My Mama (on which he had the lead role) in the 1970s, and on Amen from 1986 to 1991. Davis has also acted on Broadway, and he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in 1972 for his performance in a musical version of Two Gentlemen of Verona. He made a guest appearance on the third episode of the first season of "The Bobby Vinton Show" in September of 1975, singing "I've Got The Music In Me" and "Never Can Say Goodbye". He successfully sang the Polish lyrics with Vinton to the show's "My Melody of Love" theme song. Before finding fame in acting, Davis worked as a songwriter, most famously penning The Jackson 5's #2 hit "Never Can Say Goodbye". He also appeared in the film Scott Joplin in 1977. Davis released one acclaimed (and now hard to find) studio recording in 1991 on Benson Records titled Say Amen. He also appeared as a panelist in the second version of The Match Game.
Davis was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Irma Langhorn, a nurse, and Toussaint L'Ouverture Davis, a Baptist minister.[1] He was raised in Mastic, New York. In addition to being an actor and a singer, he is also an ordained Seventh-day Adventist Church minister. For the last 25 years he has been an active part of Youthville, USA a children's services organization. He currently serves as National Spokesperson and Advisory Board Chairman. He is the emcee and host of The Most Soulful Sound, an annual gospel choir competition in Raleigh, NC. He also hosts an annual celebrity golf tournament in Elizabeth City, NC at Elizabeth City State University, where he served as Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement. Since the end of 2005 Davis has held the position of Executive Director for Welcome America, a Non-profit organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that produces the largest fourth of July celebration each year in the nation.
Davis cohosts the Christian Lifestyle Magazine television program and is a frequent guest host on Trinity Broadcast Network.
Davis is the author of an autobiographical essay entitled "A Mason Dixon Memory" in which he recounts his experiences as an eighth grader dealing with prejudice on a trip to a southern state.[2]