Bryan Adams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bryan Adams |
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Adams in 2024
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Bryan Guy Adams |
| Born | November 5, 1959 Kingston, Ontario, Canada |
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| Years active | 1975–present |
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Bryan Guy Adams (born November 5, 1959) is a famous Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and photographer. He has sold over 100 million records worldwide. This makes him one of the best-selling music artists ever. In the 2010s, Adams was the most played artist on Canadian radio. He has had many top songs in Canada, the US, UK, and Australia.
Adams became famous in North America with his 1983 album Cuts Like a Knife. It included the hit song "Straight From the Heart". His 1984 album, Reckless, made him a global star. It was the first album by a Canadian artist to sell over a million copies in Canada. Reckless featured six hit singles, including "Run to You", "Summer of '69", and "Heaven".
In 1991, Adams released "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You". This song became a number one hit in at least 19 countries. It stayed at number one in the UK for 16 weeks, which was a record. The song sold over 15 million copies worldwide. It was part of his album Waking Up the Neighbours, which sold 16 million copies. Adams also had big hits with "Can't Stop This Thing We Started", "Please Forgive Me", "All for Love", and "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?". He also sang duets with Barbra Streisand and Melanie C.
Bryan Adams has won many awards. These include 20 Juno Awards and a Grammy Award. He has also been nominated for Golden Globe Awards and Academy Awards for his movie songs. He is part of the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Canada's Walk of Fame. In 2010, he received a special award for his contributions to the arts.
Contents
Bryan Adams: A Music Star
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Bryan Guy Adams was born on November 5, 1959, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. His parents were English and moved to Canada in the 1950s. His father worked as a diplomat, so Bryan traveled a lot. He lived in places like Portugal, Austria, and Israel. He grew up mostly in Ottawa.
In 1974, Bryan moved to North Vancouver with his mother and younger brother. He bought his first electric guitar at age 10. He loved bands like Creedence Clearwater Revival and Deep Purple. He even saw concerts by Led Zeppelin and Elton John.
Adams left school to play in a band called "Shock". He used money saved for college to buy a piano. He worked odd jobs like selling pet food and washing dishes. At 15, he became the singer for the glam rock band Sweeney Todd. He recorded an album with them before leaving at age 16.
In 1978, when he was 18, Adams met Jim Vallance. Vallance was a drummer and songwriter. They started writing songs together. This partnership lasted for many years. They wrote songs for Adams and for other famous artists like Tina Turner and Joe Cocker.
Later in 1978, Adams signed a record deal with A&M records. He released his first solo song, "Let Me Take You Dancing", in 1979.
Rise to Fame: The 1980s
Adams' first album, Bryan Adams, came out in 1980. Most of the songs were written with Jim Vallance. The album became gold in Canada. His second album, You Want It You Got It, was released in 1981. It had the hit song "Lonely Nights".
His third album, Cuts Like a Knife, was released in 1983. This album made him a big star. "Straight from the Heart" was a top 10 hit in the US. The song "Cuts Like a Knife" was also very popular. Adams toured with bands like Journey.
Reckless was released in 1984. It became number one in Canada and the US. It was the first album by a Canadian artist to sell over a million copies in Canada. Reckless had six hit singles. These included "Run to You", "Somebody", "Heaven", and "Summer of '69". He also sang "It's Only Love" with Tina Turner. Reckless sold over 12 million copies worldwide.
In 1985, Adams helped record the charity song "Tears Are Not Enough". This song raised money for famine relief in Ethiopia. He also performed at the Live Aid concert in Philadelphia. His next album, Into the Fire (1987), had the hit "Heat of the Night". In 1989, Adams joined other artists to re-record "Smoke On The Water" to help earthquake victims in Armenia.
Global Success: The 1990s
In 1990, Adams, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, and Michael Kamen wrote "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You". This song was for the movie Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves. It became a massive worldwide hit. It stayed at number one in the UK for a record 16 weeks.
His album Waking Up the Neighbours was released in 1991. It was a number one album around the world. It sold 16 million copies. Other hits from this album included "Can't Stop This Thing We Started" and "Do I Have to Say the Words?".
In 1993, Adams sang "All for Love" with Rod Stewart and Sting. This song was for the movie The Three Musketeers and topped charts worldwide. His greatest hits album, So Far So Good (1993), also sold millions of copies. It included the new hit song "Please Forgive Me".
In 1995, Adams released "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?". It was a number one hit in the US, Canada, and Australia. This song was nominated for an Academy Award. His 1996 album, 18 til I Die, was very popular in many countries. He also sang "I Finally Found Someone" with Barbra Streisand in 1996. In 1998, he released On a Day Like Today, which included the hit "When You're Gone" with Melanie C.
To celebrate the new millennium, Adams released The Best of Me in 1999. This album had many of his popular songs and two new ones.
New Millennium Music: The 2000s and 2010s
In 2002, Adams wrote and performed songs for the animated movie Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. The song "Here I Am" was a big hit from the movie.
His album Room Service (2004) was number one in Germany and Switzerland. The song "Open Road" was a hit in Canada. In 2006, Adams co-wrote the Grammy-winning song "Never Gonna Break My Faith" for Aretha Franklin.
In 2008, Adams released his album 11. It was number one in Canada. He promoted it with an acoustic tour. In 2009, Canada Post released stamps featuring Bryan Adams.
At the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Vancouver, Adams performed "Bang the Drum" with Nelly Furtado. In 2010, he released Bare Bones, an acoustic album. He continued to tour acoustically.
In 2014, Adams released Tracks of My Years, an album of cover songs. His album Get Up (2015) was produced by Jeff Lynne. In 2018, Adams wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical Pretty Woman: The Musical.
His 2019 album, Shine a Light, was number one in Canada. It also reached the top of the charts in other countries.
Recent Years: The 2020s
In 2020, Adams was part of a charity single called "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" for Children in Need. In 2022, he released his 15th studio album, So Happy It Hurts. He also released Classic and Classic Pt II, which featured new versions of his hit songs.
In 2024, Adams started his own record label called Bad Records. He also announced a special concert film to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his Reckless album.
Bryan Adams's Music Style
Bryan Adams has played many types of rock music. These include hard rock, arena rock, pop rock, and soft rock. When he was young, he was in a glam rock band. His early songs were often about young people's lives. He is also famous for his romantic ballads.
Adams has also written songs about important social topics. Examples include "Native Son" and "Ultimate Love". His first solo song, "Let Me Take You Dancing" (1978), was a disco song.
For his first few albums, Adams had a hard rock sound with strong melodies and powerful ballads. In the 1990s, with Waking Up the Neighbours, his music became more like classic rock and roll. Later, he explored pop rock sounds. His recent albums combine rock with pop and R&B.
Helping Others: Bryan Adams's Humanitarian Work
Bryan Adams does a lot of charity work through The Bryan Adams Foundation. This foundation gives money to projects that help improve people's lives around the world. Adams mostly funds the foundation himself.
He has performed at many benefit concerts. In 1985, he opened the US part of Live Aid. In 1986, he joined the Amnesty International "A Conspiracy of Hope" tour. He also performed at Nelson Mandela's birthday party concert in 1988.
Adams helped commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990. He performed with other artists at Roger Waters's The Wall – Live in Berlin concert. He has also performed at concerts for the Rainforest Foundation Fund and UNICEF.
In 2005, Adams played at Live 8 concert, Barrie to raise awareness about poverty. He also performed in Qatar to help "Reach Out To Asia" after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. He organized an auction for a guitar signed by famous guitarists. It raised $2.8 million for charity.
In 2006, Adams was the first Western artist to perform in Karachi, Pakistan after the September 11th attacks. This concert raised money for children and earthquake victims. In 2010, he received the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award for his charity work.
In 2016, Adams canceled concerts in some US states. He did this to protest laws that he disagreed with. In 2019, he helped build new playgrounds for schools in London through his foundation. For his 2019 "Shine a Light" tour, he teamed up with DHL to plant a tree for every ticket sold.
Caring for Animals
Adams has also worked to protect animals. In the 1990s, he campaigned with Greenpeace to create the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. This sanctuary helps protect whales.
In 2002, he performed at a concert for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. In 2019, he physically stopped whalers from harming a whale in a conservation area. Adams is also the founder of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Environment Fund. This group works to protect the natural beauty of the islands.
Bryan Adams: The Photographer
Besides music, Bryan Adams is also a talented photographer. In 2002, he was asked to photograph Queen Elizabeth II for her Golden Jubilee. One of his photos was used on a Canadian postage stamp. Another portrait of the Queen and Prince Philip is in the National Portrait Gallery in London.
He has won awards for his fashion photography in Germany. He also started his own art fashion magazine called Zoo Magazine. Adams has published several photography books. These include Exposed (2012) and Wounded – The Legacy of War (2013). The book American Women (2005) raised money for breast cancer research.
In 2015, he received a special award for his photography from the Royal Photographic Society. His photos have appeared in famous magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair. He has also photographed many famous people, including musicians, actors, and athletes.
In 2021, Adams photographed the famous Pirelli Calendar. It featured music stars like Iggy Pop, Cher, and Jennifer Hudson.
Books by Bryan Adams
- Made in Canada (1999)
- American Women (2005)
- Exposed (2012)
- Wounded – The Legacy of War (2013)
- Untitled (2015)
- Canadians (2017)
- Homeless (2019)
- Hear The World (2024)
Photography Exhibitions
Bryan Adams's photographs have been shown in many art galleries and museums around the world. Some notable exhibitions include:
- Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto (1999, 2017)
- Saatchi Gallery, London (2000, 2009)
- National Portrait Gallery, London (2008)
- Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow (2012)
- NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf, Germany (2013)
- Somerset House, London, England (2014–2015)
- Fotografiska, Stockholm, Sweden (2016)
- Fotografiska, Tallinn, Estonia (2020)
Personal Life
Bryan Adams became a vegan in 1989. He says it gives him more energy. His motto is "If you love animals, don't eat them."
Adams has two daughters with Alicia Grimaldi. His first daughter was born in 2011, and his second in 2013. He lives in London and Paris. In 2021, he had to cancel a performance after testing positive for COVID-19.
In 2023, Adams became a co-founder of SongBox. This is a new company that helps musicians share their music safely online.
Awards and Honours
Bryan Adams has received many awards for his music and his charity work. He has won 20 Juno Awards and one Grammy Award. He has also been nominated for three Academy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards for his songs in movies.
In 1990, he was given the Order of British Columbia. He was also made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1990. In 1998, he was promoted to Officer of the Order of Canada. These awards recognize his contributions to music and his charity work.
In 2010, Adams received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award. This award celebrates his 30 years in the arts. He also received the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award in 2010 for his many charity concerts.
Adams has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Canada's Walk of Fame. He is also in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. In 2015, he received an Honorary Fellowship for his photography. In 2023, he was nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
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Bryan Adams Band
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Bryan Adams's backing band is sometimes called "the Dudes of Leisure". Key members include guitarist Keith Scott, Gary Breit on piano, Solomon Walker on bass, and drummer Pat Steward. Over the years, other talented musicians have also played in his band.
Bryan Adams: Albums
- Bryan Adams (1980)
- You Want It You Got It (1981)
- Cuts Like a Knife (1983)
- Reckless (1984)
- Into the Fire (1987)
- Live! Live! Live! (1988)
- Waking Up the Neighbours (1991)
- 18 til I Die (1996)
- MTV Unplugged (1997)
- On a Day Like Today (1998)
- Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
- Room Service (2004)
- 11 (2008)
- Tracks of My Years (2014)
- Get Up (2015)
- Shine a Light (2019)
- Pretty Woman - The Musical (2022)
- So Happy It Hurts (2022)
Bryan Adams: Movies and TV
Movies
- 1989 – Pink Cadillac: Bryan Adams played a gas station attendant.
- 1991 – Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves: Adams appeared in the music video for "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You".
- 2002 – House of Fools: Adams played himself in dream scenes.
- 2011 – Jock the Hero Dog: Adams was the voice of "Jock".
Television
- 2017 – Juno Awards of 2017: Adams co-hosted the awards show.
Concert Tours
- You Want It You Got It Tour (1981–1982)
- Cuts Like a Knife Tour (1983–1984)
- Reckless Tour (1984–1985)
- A Conspiracy of Hope (1986)
- Into the Fire Tour (1987–1988)
- Waking Up the World Tour (1991–1993)
- So Far So Good Tour (1993–1994)
- 18 Til I Die Tour (1996–1997)
- Unplugged Tour (1997–1998)
- White Elephant Tour (1999)
- The Best of Me Tour (1999–2001)
- Here I Am Tour (2002–2004)
- Room Service Tour (2004–2006)
- Anthology Tour (2007–2008)
- 11 Tour / Acoustic Show (2008–2009)
- The Bare Bones Tour (2010–2014)
- Reckless 30th Anniversary Tour (2014–2015)
- Get Up Tour (2016–2018)
- Ultimate Tour (2018–2019)
- Shine a Light Tour (2019–2021)
- So Happy It Hurts Tour (2022–2024)
Images for kids
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Adams in 2006
See also
In Spanish: Bryan Adams para niños
- Music of Canada
- Rock music of Canada
- List of animal rights advocates
