Yolanda Adams | |
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 Adams in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Yolanda Yvette Adams |
| Also known as |
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| Born | (1961-08-27)August 27, 1961 (age 63) Houston,Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | yolandaadamslive |
Yolanda Yvette Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an Americangospel singer, actress, and host of her ownnationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of thebest-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million albums worldwide.[1] In addition to achieving multi-platinum status,[2]she has won fourGrammy Awards,[3] fourDove Awards, fiveBET Awards, sixNAACP Image Awards, sixSoul Train Music Awards, twoBMI Awards and sixteenStellar Awards.[4] She is the first Gospel artist to win theGrammy Award for Best Gospel Song. She is also the first Gospel artist to be awarded anAmerican Music Award.[5]
She is known as the "Queen of Contemporary Gospel Music",[6] the "First Lady of Modern Gospel",[7] whileVariety dubbed her the "Reigning Queen of Urban Gospel".[8]
Adams was named byBillboard, in 2009, as the No. 1 gospel artist of the decade, driven by the sales of her No. 1 albumMountain High...Valley Low.[9] In 2016, PresidentBarack Obama awarded Adams with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for her volunteer service.[10]She was inducted into theGospel Music Hall of Fame by the Gospel Music Association in 2017.[11]In 2018, she became the first gospel artist nominated for aTony Award for her work onSpongeBob SquarePants.[12] In 2019, she received theSoul Train Music Awards Lady of Soul Award[13] and received critical acclaim for officially openingSuper Bowl LIV with her performance of "America the Beautiful".[14]Billboard listed her as one of the Top Gospel Artist of the 2010s.[15] She has scored five number one albums on Billboard's Top Gospel Album.[16] Adams was inducted into theBlack Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.
The eldest of six siblings, Adams was born inHouston, Texas. She graduated fromSterling High School in Houston in 1979.[17] After graduating fromTexas Southern University, she began a career as a schoolteacher and part-time model in Houston.[18][19] Eventually, she gave up teaching to perform full-time as a lead singer.
Adams first attracted the attention ofThomas Whitfield and Sound of Gospel Records as a lead singer with Houston's Southeast Inspirational Choir affiliated with theChurch of God in Christ, under the direction of Carl Preacher, Brenda Waters, and Shirley Joiner. The choir released the single "For My Liberty" in 1982 with her as the featured vocalist. In 1986, Adams was featured on theEdwin Hawkins Music and Arts Seminar Choir releasedGive Us Peace, with a performance entitled "My Trust Lies in You". Later, she signed a recording contract with Sound of Gospel which yielded her first albumJust As I Am in 1987.[20] In 1990, she was discovered by producer/keyboardistBen Tankard, and signed to his independent labelTribute Records and releasedThrough The Storm. Tankard's goal with Tribute Records during this time was to develop an audience for a smoother gospel/jazz sound. He featured Adams' vocals on his album and concept video single "You Bring Out The Best in Me" on his 1994 releasePlay Me in Your Key. The collaboration received positive response from gospel, jazz and "quiet storm" formats.
One year later, Adams followed withSave the World, which included her first signature song "The Battle Is The Lord's". Her next release was 1995'sMore Than a Melody, which featured more production work from Tankard with contributions fromO'Landa Draper, andBeBe Winans. The single "Gotta Have Love", from that album featuringTony Terry on background vocals, gained mainstream notoriety and was her first single and music video.Yolanda... Live in Washington, released the following year, featured versions of material from her first three albums. The footage from this recording was released as a collection of two videos on VHS initially, and later as a single set on DVD and CD. During this time Tribute Records' parent company Diadem Music Group merged with Benson Music Group, which was eventually bought by New York-basedZomba/Verity Records.
Songs from the Heart was her final release for Verity Records, including "Only Believe", which was a popular song on contemporary radio. The album also included "Still I Rise", a dedication toRosa Parks, which was inspired by theMaya Angelou poem of the same name.
Adams' first significant attention outside theurban contemporary gospel arena came with the release ofMountain High... Valley Low in 1999 onElektra Records. Several mainstream artists and producers helped in the production of this album includingJimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (Janet Jackson,Boyz II Men), James "Big Jim" Wright (Mariah Carey,Nicole C. Mullen),Warryn Campbell (Mary Mary,Brandy), and Keith Thomas (BeBe & CeCe Winans). The album went2× Platinum in 2000 and won Adams a Grammy Award. Notable singles from the album include "Yeah", "Fragile Heart", and "Open My Heart"."Fragile Heart" was dedicated to the memory of Adams' long-time road manager, who died in 1998.[21]
In 2000, Adams released a Christmas album, and in 2001 she released a live album (The Experience).The Experience netted Adams a secondGrammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.Believe, which included the hit "Never Give Up" was released in 2001 and reached gold status according to theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA). She would later go on to perform this song at "The Salute to Gospel Music" at theWhite House during PresidentGeorge W. Bush's administration. In 2001, Adams also released a compilation CD entitledThe Divas of Gospel; it included the legendary Grammy Award winnerAlbertina Walker, who was popularly referred to as the "Queen of Gospel Music" until her death in 2010.
Adams recorded a song for the 2003 filmHoney entitled "I Believe", which played during the last scene in the final dance.
Adams was also a judge for the 2nd annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.[22] She is also credited as the Queen of Contemporary Gospel Music.[citation needed]
After nearly four years without releasing an album, Adams returned in 2005 withDay By Day. Although charting higher thanMountain High...Valley Low on the Billboard 100 and Billboard R&B Albums chart, it did not receive RIAA certification. The album featured the singles "Be Blessed", "Someone Watching Over You", "This Too Shall Pass", and "Victory" (which was prominently featured in the movieThe Gospel).
After ending her long association withAtlantic Records, Atlantic released a greatest hits collection entitledThe Best of Me in May 2007.
Adams signed withColumbia Records in 2007. Columbia releasedWhat a Wonderful Time, her second holiday collection, in October 2007. "Hold On" was released as the lead single.
| Genre | Comedy, talk,urban contemporary gospel |
|---|---|
| Running time | approx. 4 hours |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Home station | KMJQ-FM |
| Starring | Yolanda Adams |
| Original release | 2007 – 2016 |
| Website | theyolandaadamsmorningshow |
After the release ofWhat a Wonderful Time, Adams embarked on the radio career withThe Yolanda Adams Morning Show which was aired in over 26radio markets within two years. Her radio show featured Marcus D. Wiley as Bishop Secular. The syndicated show aired for ten years before ending in 2016.[citation needed] It relaunched in September 2019 from Texas Southern University's KTSU-FM 90.9.[citation needed]
On December 25, 2009, Adams performed onBET'sThe Mo'Nique Show, where she sang "Already Alright", from her 1999Mountain High...Valley Low album.Mo'Nique stated that the song is one of her favorites.[citation needed]
In 2010, Adams released her book "Points of Power", based on one of the segments of her radio showPoints of Power.[23]
Adams appeared on the 2011 BET Honors to sing her signature song "The Battle Is the Lord's" in honor ofCicely Tyson. Later, Adams appeared at the53rd Grammy Awards, taking part in a tribute toAretha Franklin along withJennifer Hudson,Christina Aguilera, Florence Welch fromFlorence and the Machine, andMartina McBride. Adams performed "Spirit in the Dark" – Franklin's classic from 1970. On several occasions, Franklin stated that she "especially loved" Adams' performance.[24] She performanced at 2011 BET tribute toCicely Tyson.[25]
Adams' eleventhstudio album,Becoming, was released on May 3, 2011, produced by Steve Bracey. The new single, "Be Still", by Donald "Drathoven" Atkins, Jr., debuted on Tuesday, April 19 onThe Yolanda Adams Morning Show.Becoming was released byWalmart as an exclusive deal. At The BET Awards 2012, Adams' won the award for Best Gospel Artist for the 4th time in her career having won the most since the first BET Awards in 2001.
On an April 2013 episode of BET'sLift Every Voice, Adams announced that she was working on her twelfth studio album. She announced songwriting and producing credits from the likes of super gospel producers Donald Lawrence, Israel Houghton & Kirk Franklin.
Adams released her first bookPoints of Power in 2010. It is a Christian book in reference to living a pure, spirit-filled Christian life.
Adams was married to Troy Mason from 1987 until 1990. Adams said spousal abuse was the reason for their divorce.[26][unreliable source?] In 1997, Adams married formerNFL player Tim Crawford. The couple divorced in August 2004 after seven years. Adams and Crawford have one daughter, Taylor Adams Crawford, born in 2001.[27]
Adams served as a spokesperson for theFila Corporation'sOperation Rebound, a program that addressed the concern of inner-city schoolchildren.[28]
Adams was inducted intoAlpha Kappa Alpha sorority as an honorary member on July 8, 2018.[29]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | In the House | Yolanda | Episode: "God Is in the House" |
| 2004 | The Parkers | Karla | Episode: "Practice What You Preach" |
| 2005 | The Gospel (film) | Herself | |
| 2016 | Ride Along 2 | Preacher | |
| 2016 | The Passion: New Orleans | Gospel Singer | |
| 2020 | Blue's Clues & You! | The Sun (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2022–present | Kingdom Business | Denita Jordan | Lead role |
In total, Adams has won fourGrammy Awards, sixteen Stellar Gospel Music Awards, four of the Gospel Music Association'sDove Awards, oneAmerican Music Award, sevenNAACP Image Awards, oneSoul Train Music Award, and fiveBET Awards. In 2022, she was inducted into theBlack Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.[30]
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