Johnny Adams

New Orleans singer Adams' recording career ran from 1959 until his untimely death in 1998. Like so many Soul and R&B singers, he started out singing Gospel music. His first record was produced by Mac Rebennack (aka Dr. John), and throughout the '60s he hit the R&B charts a number of times with his smooth sound and amazingly broad range. Adams made nine albums for Rounder Records starting in the 1980s: he did many of these with his longtime bandleader, guitarist Walter "Wolfman" Washington. These records encompassed everything from jazz and string-laden vocal pop to the grittiest Soul and blues. Adams' reputation among his peers unfortunately exceeded his general popularity in the States, but he was always a big star in New Orleans and abroad. He was felled by cancer at the age of sixty-six.