Clifton Davis is one of those guys who seems to have lived four different lives in the span of one. Most people know him as the smooth-talking Reverend Reuben Gregory from Amen or the guy who wrote "Never Can Say Goodbye" for the Jackson 5. But when you start digging into the personal history of first wife Clifton Davis son details, things get a bit more complicated. People often get confused because Clifton's romantic history was, frankly, a whirlwind before he found his long-term footing.
He's been married three times. That's the first thing to get straight.
If you're looking for the "first wife," you're looking for Ann Taylor. They tied the knot way back in 1981. It didn't last long—barely two years. In the world of 80s celebrity culture, that was practically a weekend. But the real story that people search for isn't just about a marriage certificate. It's about the legacy and the children that came out of a life that was, for a long time, defined by high-speed Hollywood living and a later, radical transformation.
Sorting Out the History of Clifton Davis and Ann Taylor
Ann Taylor was the first woman to officially say "I do" to Clifton. At the time, Davis was riding high on fame but struggling deeply with personal demons. He’s been incredibly open about this in his later years, especially during his sermons and his appearances on networks like TBN. He was addicted to cocaine. He was spending money faster than it came in. He was, by his own admission, not a good partner.
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The marriage to Ann Taylor ended in 1983. Because it was so short and happened right before his major "rebirth" as a minister, details about their daily life are sparse. They didn't have children together. This is where the confusion usually starts for fans trying to track down the first wife Clifton Davis son connection.
Usually, when people are asking about his son, they are actually thinking about his second marriage or his long-term family life after he turned his life around.
The Real Family Dynamic: Christian and Holly
After the mess of the late 70s and early 80s, Clifton walked away from the "fast life." He became a Seventh-day Adventist minister. He went back to school. He got a degree in Theology from Oakwood University. And then, he met Joann Thompson.
They married in 1984. This was the marriage that stuck for a significant amount of time—about 14 years. It was with Joann that Clifton had his children: his son, Christian, and his daughter, Holly.
If you are looking for the son of Clifton Davis, you are looking for Christian Davis.
Christian hasn't spent his life chasing the paparazzi or trying to be a tabloid fixture. Unlike some celebrity kids who pivot immediately into reality TV, the Davis children grew up in a household that was more about faith and education than red carpets. Clifton was very protective of that transition. He didn't want his kids sucked into the same vacuum that nearly killed him in the 70s.
Why the "First Wife" Search is a Common Mistake
Google searches are funny. Someone hears a snippet of a story about Clifton's "wild days" and they assume the son they see him with now must be from that first, tumultuous marriage.
Actually, the timeline doesn't fit.
- Marriage 1: Ann Taylor (1981–1983). No children.
- Marriage 2: Joann Thompson (1984–1998). Two children: Christian and Holly.
- Marriage 3: Monica Tinsley (2000–Present).
Clifton and Monica have been together for over two decades now. She’s often seen by his side at Broadway openings—remember, he was nominated for a Tony for Aladdin—and at various ministry events.
The son, Christian, is a grown man now. He has occasionally appeared with his father at public events, but he maintains a relatively private life. The bond between them is reportedly strong, a far cry from the fractured relationships Clifton had with almost everyone during his years of substance abuse. Clifton has often said that his greatest achievement isn't the hit songs or the TV ratings, but the fact that he was able to be a present, sober father for his kids.
Life as a "Preacher's Kid" in the Limelight
Growing up as the son of Clifton Davis wasn't your standard upbringing. Imagine your dad is a famous actor, but he’s also the guy standing behind the pulpit every Saturday or Sunday.
Christian grew up during the peak of the Amen years. That show ran from 1986 to 1991. During that entire run, Clifton was balancing the persona of a fictional deacon with the reality of being a real-life minister. For a son, that’s a lot of "eyes" on you. There’s a specific kind of pressure that comes with being a "P.K." (Preacher's Kid), let alone one whose dad is a household name.
Clifton has spoken about the challenges of raising his son and daughter while maintaining his ministry. He had to be careful not to be a hypocrite. He’s been quoted saying that his children were his "litmus test" for his faith. If it didn't work at home, it wasn't real.
The Shadow of the Past
To truly understand the context of the first wife Clifton Davis son topic, you have to look at what Clifton was escaping. Before he ever married Ann Taylor, he was in a very high-profile relationship with singer and actress Melba Moore.
They were the "it" couple of the 70s. But that relationship was fueled by the very things Clifton later preached against. It was volatile. It was public. And it ended badly.
When people search for his "first wife," they are often subconsciously looking for the Melba Moore era. But they never actually married. Ann Taylor was the legal first wife, the "rebound" of sorts from that chaotic era, which explains why that marriage was so brief and childless.
What Christian Davis Does Now
While Christian hasn't followed his father into the "front of house" side of show business in a massive way, the family remains musical. It's in the blood. You can't be the son of the man who wrote for the Jackson 5 and not have some rhythm.
However, Christian has largely chosen to live his life away from the entertainment news cycle. He isn't a "nepotism baby" in the sense that he’s taking up space on your Netflix queue. He’s a private citizen.
Clifton’s daughter, Holly, has also stayed mostly out of the fray. This speaks volumes about the parenting style of Clifton and Joann. They managed to raise kids in the 80s and 90s—at the height of Clifton's TV fame—who didn't end up in the "Where Are They Now?" galleries for all the wrong reasons.
The Legacy of Transformation
Clifton Davis is 80 years old now. Think about that. He has seen the industry change from the ground up. He went from being a songwriter in the Motown era to a sitcom star, to a serious stage actor in Wicked and Aladdin.
Throughout all those shifts, his role as a father has been his anchor.
People often ask if there’s tension between the different "chapters" of his life. How does the son from the second marriage feel about the stories of the first marriage? Honestly, by the time Christian was old enough to understand, Clifton was already a changed man. The "Cocaine Clifton" of the 70s was a ghost story to his children, not a reality they had to live through.
That’s the real takeaway here. The search for the first wife Clifton Davis son usually leads to a dead end because the "first wife" wasn't the mother of his children. The story is actually one of redemption.
Clifton’s life is a lesson in the idea that your first chapter—or even your first marriage—doesn't have to define the rest of the book. He found his footing with Joann, raised his son Christian and daughter Holly, and eventually found long-term peace with Monica.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Researchers
If you're looking into the Davis family tree, keep these three things in mind to avoid the common pitfalls:
- Check the Dates: If a source says Clifton had a son with his first wife, they are factually incorrect. Ann Taylor and Clifton had no children.
- Focus on the Second Marriage: For information on his children, look into his time with Joann Thompson. That is the era where Christian and Holly were born and raised.
- Respect the Privacy: Unlike Clifton, who is a public figure by choice and calling, his son Christian has opted for a private life. You won't find a verified Instagram "influencer" account for him because that's not his path.
Clifton Davis remains an active part of the Hollywood and Broadway landscape. He’s a living bridge between the old-school glamour of the 70s and the modern era of theater. His son stands as a testament to the fact that you can grow up in the shadow of fame and still come out the other side with your own identity intact.
For more accurate celebrity biographies and deep dives into the families of Hollywood's Golden Era stars, always verify the marriage timelines against official records rather than relying on social media rumors. The real story is almost always more interesting than the gossip.
Next Steps for Verifying Celebrity History:
- Consult the American Film Institute (AFI) archives for professional credits from the early 80s.
- Review Jet Magazine archives (1981-1984) for contemporary interviews regarding Davis's first marriage and his subsequent career shift.
- Cross-reference Seventh-day Adventist Church records for Davis’s ordination timeline, which provides context for his family life transition.