Clif Magness (b.1957) is a songwriter and producer from Lubbock, Texas.
Magness’ first public performance was as a drummer with the church choir of First United Methodist Church, directed by his mother. While attending Monterey High School, Magness learned guitar, bass, and keyboards to play with local bands. After turning 19, he moved to Los Angeles, where he started in the Chrysalis Records mail room and worked his way up. Magness has since gone on to work with artists such as Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Lisa Marie Presley, Barbra Streisand, and many more. In 1990, he won his first Grammy working with Quincy Jones. Magness has since been nominated for an Oscar, Golden Globe, and an Academy Award. Avril Lavigne’s debut album, Let Go, which Clif helped co-write and produce, went multi-platinum. Magness also worked with Kelly Clarkson on her first two albums, Thankful and Breakaway, which also went multi-platinum. Clif Magness has gone on to release several solo albums including Planet 3’s Music from the Planet (1991), Gems Unearthed (2004), and Lucky Dog (2018).
Magness was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame in 2004.
