The Johnny Adams Story, New Orleans Famous Blues Singer

[judyadams]

The Johnny Adams Story is about a man, his music and a lifelong struggle to become free. Free from a corrupt music industry that often times denied legal counsel, worked hard to keep many black entertainers under their tight control and ultimately robbed them and their families of earnings and royalties that were rightfully theirs.

Travel back with us now to a time when great artists like Johnny Adams were just getting started and learn the truth about what it meant to be black, uneducated and truly gifted during the 50's and 60's… a time when some of the greatest music ever heard was sung to a nation and some of our most gifted black artists struggled for just a small taste of equality. The Johnny Adams story may shock you; it may even anger you; but one thing is certain…it will inspire and teach you that even when it seems the whole world is conspiring against you; that love is still the binder that holds the pages of life together.

[Staxsun]

The Johnny Adams Story is about a man, his music and a lifelong struggle to become free. Free from a corrupt music industry that often times denied legal counsel, worked hard to keep many black entertainers under their tight control and ultimately robbed them and their families of earnings and royalties that were rightfully theirs.

Travel back with us now to a time when great artists like Johnny Adams were just getting started and learn the truth about what it meant to be black, uneducated and truly gifted during the 50's and 60's… a time when some of the greatest music ever heard was sung to a nation and some of our most gifted black artists struggled for just a small taste of equality. The Johnny Adams story may shock you; it may even anger you; but one thing is certain…it will inspire and teach you that even when it seems the whole world is conspiring against you; that love is still the binder that holds the pages of life together.

No one was or is a bigger fan of Johnny Adams than I. I am confused about this post. Is this a commercial for a book, a movie, or are you going to post it here. Unscrupulous record label people were the rule in the 50s and 60s, and this was equal opportunity - they screwed everybody. Johnny Adams had one of the purest voices ever recorded, and his last CD was perhaps his greatest. The recording of "Never Alone" still chills me to this day. I saw him live, but unfortunately I missed his last Jazzfest performance.

[Blitzzzzz]

The Johnny Adams Story is about a man, his music and a lifelong struggle to become free. Free from a corrupt music industry that often times denied legal counsel, worked hard to keep many black entertainers under their tight control and ultimately robbed them and their families of earnings and royalties that were rightfully theirs.

Travel back with us now to a time when great artists like Johnny Adams were just getting started and learn the truth about what it meant to be black, uneducated and truly gifted during the 50's and 60's… a time when some of the greatest music ever heard was sung to a nation and some of our most gifted black artists struggled for just a small taste of equality. The Johnny Adams story may shock you; it may even anger you; but one thing is certain…it will inspire and teach you that even when it seems the whole world is conspiring against you; that love is still the binder that holds the pages of life together.

Looks like this is an e-book available at this link for $27.95.

http://www.lulu.com/content/2554150

I can't seem to find anything about the author. I'm assuming she's a relative.
Hopefully, she will come back and post a little bit more. What seems to be the first several pages are posted on the lulu site, along with a nice graphic that I imagine is the "cover art." I can't seem to capture that to post here either.

[Blitzzzzz]

Looks like this is an e-book available at this link for $27.95.

http://www.lulu.com/content/2554150

I can't seem to find anything about the author. I'm assuming she's a relative.
Hopefully, she will come back and post a little bit more. What seems to be the first several pages are posted on the lulu site, along with a nice graphic that I imagine is the "cover art." I can't seem to capture that to post here either.

Oh, and yes indeed, I love Johnny! "Man of My Word" is one of my favorite records!
-- "A box of chicken's got a breast and a wing! Ask a hungry man, it ain't the same thing!"

[judyadams]

The Johnny Adams Story

Yes, I'm a relative. I'm Johnny's Widow, Judy Adams. This is not a commercial, or some record company that promoting records. This is my book about my late husband. If you go to my website at www.johnnyadams.org, there you can contact me via email or phone.

Thanks

[sophisticated sissy]

I respectfully post the information that follows below for readers of this forum who maybe unaware of the scope of Johnny Adams talent. From offbeat, 1998:





NOTED SINGER JOHNNY ADAMS PASSES AWAY


New Orleans singer Johnny Adams died yesterday morning, September 14th, after a long battle with cancer at
Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge. He was 66 years old. Johnny was regarded by fans, critics and
musicians throughout the world as one of the finest singers associated with New Orleans R&B and jazz.

Born Laten John Adams in New Orleans on January 5, 1932, Johnny was first drawn to gospel music, and was
featured with Bessie Griffin and the Consolators while in his early twenties. He crossed the line to secular music
with his 1959 hit, “I Won’t Cry,” and subsequently enjoyed a string of regional best-sellers, including
“Reconsider Me,” “Release Me” and “Hell Yes I Cheated,” which lasted through the 1960s and 1970s. During
this time, he worked the circuit of black nightclubs throughout the South, where audiences marveled at both the
range and beauty of his infinitely expressive voice.

In 1983, Johnny teamed up with producer Scott Billington and Rounder Records, and the nine albums they
created brought Johnny to the world at large. On such recordings as Room With a View of the Blues, The Real
Me: The Songs of Doc Pomus, and One Foot In the Blues, Johnny explored the full range of his talent, singing
jazz, R&B and blues, winning praise from criitcs around the world.

Among his many awards are a W. C. Handy
Award, a NAIRD Indie Award, six Big Easy (New Orleans) Awards and several OffBeat (New Orleans) Best
of the Beat Awards.

Among the musicians who worked and recorded with Johnny in recent years are Aaron Neville, Harry Connick,
Jr., David Torkanowsky, Dr. John, Duke Robillard and jazz greats such as organist Dr. Lonnie Smith and
saxophonist Houston Person.

During the last decade, Johnny became a regular attraction on stages around the world, perfroming frequently
in Europe. His most recent album, Man of My Word, was released in August, and finds him returning to the
classic soul music sound.

Copyright © 1998, OffBeat, Inc.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~


Quotes & Reviews:

"There isn't a tune out there that Johnny Adams can't spin into gold" - Boston Phoenix

"Adams combines the forcefulness of David Ruffin with the elegance of Billy Eckstine" - Washington Post

"Adams is the type of artist who transcends normal boundaries of style: his music is his alone, regardless of where the musicologists may wish to slot it" - Dirty Linen

"Mr. Adams can invest life and death into every song he sings, moving from shouts to quivering phrases that seems to be dripping tears" - N.Y. Times

"Every syllable he sings is as heady as new car smell in a Cadillac" - Blues Access

[BigDag]

He had the most beautiful singing voice I have ever heard.

[Staxsun]

He had the most beautiful singing voice I have ever heard.

yeah, you rite!

[neverleft]

He had the most beautiful singing voice I have ever heard.

After reading this, I have to tell this story about Johnny Adams. It was just one of the most memorable moments of my life.

In 1990, I was in New Orleans and I heard there was a benefit at Tipitina's for Johnny Adams who was fighting cancer. I went to Tip's not knowing want to expect, but I wanted to show some support. The Neville Brothers, Irma Thomas, plus many more musician's were there, including the man himself-Johnny Adams. Johnny was not suppost to perform, but he did anyways. It was soooooo moving every time he sang. I remember Aaron Neville was singing "Amazing Grace." to Johnny Adams up on the balcony and Johnny came down to join him singing the song. I started crying like I couldn't believe. Two of the most beautiful voices in New Orleans. Johnny even made another trip to the stage that night to sing "I Won't Cry," with Irma Thomas.

A whole lot later that night I was upstairs, it looked like the last band was performing for the night ( I can't remember who it was) As the band was playing all the people that were up there left, or went downstairs. So, I was the only one up there. A guy walked upstairs and was walking around, it was Johnny Adams. He was just looking at the place like it was his last time to be in Tipitina's. We made eye contact so I walked over to him and tell him how much his singing meant to me. I said "Hey Johnny I just want to tell you that I always loved your singing". "Anytime I'm in New Orleans I always come to see you perform" He hugged me and we both started crying. He said "God Bless You". I said "You sing like an angle" Then we both just looked at each for awhile with tears in our eyes shaking our heads. We hugged again, then some other people he knew came upstairs to take him out of Tipitina's with them. Before he left the club he hugged and talked to everyone that was still there downstairs. Then he waved goodbye to everyone in the club as he walked out.`

He passed away months later. I will never forget the that look in his eyes that night.

[ibjamn]

That's a beautiful story, Robbie and a wonderful memory.

[Staxsun]

Jim Spake, who played sax on "Man of My Word", said that it was obvious how sick Johnny was during recording. Just as obvious was how driven he was to put everything into it and make a recording he could be proud of.