Oleta Adams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oleta Adams
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Adams performing in 2017
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| Birth name | Oleta Angela Adams |
| Born | May 4, 1953 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1980–present |
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Oleta Angela Adams, born on May 4, 1953, is an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. She became well-known after working with the British band Tears for Fears on their popular album The Seeds of Love in 1989. Her own albums, Circle of One (1991) and Evolution (1993), were very successful in the UK. Her song "Get Here" was a big hit in both the UK and the U.S. Oleta Adams has been nominated for several important music awards, including four Grammy Awards.
Contents
About Oleta Adams
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Oleta Angela Adams was born in Seattle, Washington. Her father was a preacher, so she grew up listening to gospel music in church. Her family later moved to Yakima, Washington. She started her music journey by singing in church.
Before she became famous, Oleta Adams faced many challenges. In the 1970s, she moved to Los Angeles, California. She made a demo tape, which is like a sample recording of her music. However, many music companies were only interested in disco music at the time. Oleta preferred her own style, which was different from disco.
Following advice from her singing coach, Oleta moved to Kansas City, Missouri. There, she performed at many local events. She released two albums in the early 1980s that she paid for herself. These albums had some success, but she was not yet widely known.
Oleta Adams also sang the National Anthem before a big baseball game in 1984.
Working with Tears for Fears
In June 1985, Oleta Adams was performing at a hotel in Kansas City. Members of the British band Tears for Fears heard her sing. They were on a break during their "Big Chair Tour." The next night, the band members had dinner at the club where Oleta was performing again. They decided to ask her to work on their next album, The Seeds of Love. Oleta accepted their offer. Two years later, they invited her to join the band as a singer and pianist.
In 1989, The Seeds of Love album was released. The song "Woman in Chains" was a duet sung by Oleta Adams and Roland Orzabal from Tears for Fears. This song became Oleta's first big hit. In 1990, Oleta went on a world tour with Tears for Fears. She performed her own songs at the start of each show. Then, she stayed on stage to play piano and sing with Tears for Fears.
Solo Career Success
Becoming a Solo Star
After touring with Tears for Fears, Oleta Adams was offered a record deal by their music label, Fontana Records. She started her solo career again in 1990. She worked with Roland Orzabal, who helped produce her new album, Circle of One. This album was highly praised and reached number one in the UK in 1991.
Her biggest hit came with her cover version of Brenda Russell's song "Get Here". This song was nominated for a Grammy Award. It reached the top 5 in both the UK and the U.S. The song became very popular during the 1991 Gulf War. Families of soldiers far away found comfort in the song's message.
In 1991, Oleta Adams also sang a version of Elton John's 1974 hit "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". This song also became a top 40 hit in the UK.
More Albums and Collaborations
Oleta's next album, Evolution (1993), was also very successful in the UK, reaching the top 10. This album included her own song "Window of Hope." Her 1995 album, Moving On, showed her moving more towards R&B music.
She sang another duet with Roland Orzabal called "Me and My Big Ideas." This song was on the Tears for Fears album, Raoul and the Kings of Spain, released in the same year. Two years later, she released Come Walk with Me, an album with Christian themes. She received another Grammy nomination for the song "Holy Is the Lamb" in 1997.
In 1998, Oleta Adams toured as a special guest singer with Phil Collins' Big Band Jazz Tour.
Music in the 2000s and 2010s
In 2001, Oleta Adams released her sixth album, All the Love. This album returned to her R&B and adult contemporary sound. In 2004, she surprised fans by joining Tears for Fears on stage at their Kansas City concert. She sang "Woman in Chains" with them.
On October 3, 2006, Oleta released her first Christmas album, called Christmas Time with Oleta. Her eighth album, Let's Stay Here, came out on April 21, 2009.
On February 10, 2017, Oleta Adams released her ninth album, Third Set. This was her first album in eight years.
Personal Life
In 1994, Oleta Adams married drummer John Cushon. They met in 1980 while working on a music demo tape for Oleta. They got married at a church in Kansas City where they both taught Sunday School. Oleta said she never really wanted to get married. However, after they were both in the Los Angeles earthquake on January 17, 1994, she felt it was a sign that she was ready to marry John.
Discography
- Oleta Adams (1982)
- Going on Record (1983)
- Circle of One (1990)
- Evolution (1993)
- Moving On (1995)
- Come Walk with Me (1997)
- All the Love (2001)
- Christmas Time with Oleta (2006)
- Let's Stay Here (2009)
- Third Set (2017)
Awards and Nominations
Oleta Adams has been recognized for her musical talent with several nominations:
- In 1991, she was nominated for a Soul Train Music Award as Best R&B/Urban Contemporary New Artist.
- In 1992, her song "Get Here" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
- In 1993, her version of "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
- In 1994, she was nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B Single, Female, for "I Just Had to Hear Your Voice".
- In 1997, her album Moving On was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.
- In 1998, her album Come Walk with Me was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.
See also
In Spanish: Oleta Adams para niños
