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Biography
Infobox musical artist |name = Yolanda Adams|image = Yolanda Adams.jpg|caption = Yolanda Adams performing at the National Memorial Day Concert in May 2010.|image_size =|background = solo_singer|alias = First Lady of Modern Gospel|birth_date = Birth date and age|mf=yes|1961|8|27 Houston , Texas , United States |genre = Gospel music|Gospel , R& B , soul music|soul |occupation = Singer , record producer , actress , radio host |years_active = 1979& nbsp;� present|associated_acts = Kirk Franklin , Donnie McClurkin , Mary Mary , Fred Hammond , Shirley Ceasar |label = Sound of Gospel (1987-1989) Tribute Records|Tribute / Benson Records|Benson (1991-1996) Verity Records|Verity (1996-1998) Elektra Records|Elektra (1998-2004) Atlantic Records|Atlantic (2004-2007) Columbia Records|Columbia (2007-2009) N-House Music Group (2011�present)|associated_acts =|website = http://www.yolandaadamslive.com YolandaAdamsLive.com Yolanda Yvette Adams (born Birth date|1961|08|27) is an United States|American gospel singer , record producer , actress , and radio host . As of September 2009, she had sold 4.5 million albums since 1991 in the United States, according to SoundScan .cite web|url= http://www.billboard.com/#/column/chartbeat/ask-billboard-madonna-yoko-ono-gospel-1004014251.story? page=2|title= Ask Billboard: Madonna, Yoko Ono, Gospel|date=September 18, 2009|accessdate=February 9, 2010|work=Billboard
On December 11, 2009, Billboard Magazine named her the #1 Gospel Artist of the last decade.cite web|url= http://www.billboard.com/charts-decade-end/gospel-album-artists? year=2009#/charts-decade-end/gospel-album-artists? year=2009|title= Billboard Decade End Charts, Gospel Artists|date=December 11, 2009|accessdate=March 27, 2010|work=Billboard In the same chart, her album Mountain High...Valley Low was acknowledged as the best gospel album.cite web|url= http://www.billboard.com/charts-decade-end/gospel-albums? year=2009#/charts-decade-end/gospel-albums? year=2009|title= Billboard Decade End Charts, Gospel Albums|date=December 11, 2009|accessdate=March 27, 2010|work=Billboard
Life
The oldest of six siblings, Adams was raised in Houston, Texas . She graduated from Sterling High School (Houston)|Sterling High School in Houston in 1979.cite web |url= http://www.houstonisd.org/HISD/portal/article/front/0,2731,20856_67359489_94477637,00.html |title=Distinguished Alumni |publisher=Houston Independent School District After graduating from Texas Southern University , she began a career as a schoolteacher and part-time Model (person)|model in Houston, Texas.cite web |url= http://www.tsu.edu/about/administration/office/welcome.asp |title=About TSU > TSU Administration > Office of the President > Welcome |publisher=Texas Southern University |date=June 29, 2006cite web |url= http://www.gospelcity.com/dynamic/music-articles/reviews/148 |title=Yolanda Adams& nbsp;� The Experience |publisher=GospelCity.com |date=April 23, 2001 Eventually she gave up teaching to perform full-time as a lead singer.
Musical career
Beginnings
Adams first attracted the attention of Thomas Whitfield (singer)|Thomas Whitfield and Sound of Gospel Records as a lead singer with Houston's Southeast Inspirational Choir affiliated with the Church of God in Christ , under the direction of Carl Preacher, Brenda Waters, and Shirley Joiner. The choir released the single in 1982 "For My Liberty" with Adams as the featured vocalist. In 1986, Adams was featured on the Edwin Hawkins Music and Arts Seminar Choir release Give 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 album Just As I Am in 1987.cite web |url= http://www.cbn.com/cbnmusic/artists/adams_yolanda.aspx |publisher=CBN Music |title=Yolanda Adams |accessdate=February 20, 2008 In 1990, she was discovered by producer/keyboardist Ben Tankard , and signed to his independent label Tribute Records and released Through the Storm (Yolanda Adams album)|Through The Storm . Tankard's goal with Tribute Records during this time was to develop an audience for a smoother gospel/jazz sound. He featured Yolanda's jazzy vocals on his album and concept video single "You Bring Out The Best In Me" on his 1994 release Play Me In Your Key . The collaboration received positive response from gospel,jazz and "quiet storm" formats.
One year later, Adams followed with Save the World (Yolanda Adams album)|Save the World , which included her first signature song "The Battle Is The Lord's". Her next release was 1995's More Than A Melody , which featured more production work from Tankard with contributions from O'Landa Draper, and BeBe Winans . The single " Gotta Have Love ," from that album featuring Tony 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-based Zomba Group of Companies|Zomba/Verity Records .
listen|filename=20100209 Yolanda Adams - How Great Thou Art at the White House.ogv |title="How Great Thou Art" |description=Yolanda Adams performs " How Great Thou Art (hymn)|How Great Thou Art " at the White House Celebration of Music from the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955�1968)|Civil Rights Movement in 2010. |filetype= Ogg |filename2=20100209 Yolanda Adams - How Great Thou Art at the White House.ogg |title2="How Great Thou Art" |description2=audio only file |filetype2= Ogg Songs from the Heart (Yolanda Adams album)|Songs from the Heart was her final release for Verity Records, including "Only Believe", which was popular songs on contemporary radio. The album also included "Still I Rise," a dedication to Rosa Parks , which was inspired by the Maya Angelou poem of the same name.
Mainstream breakthrough
Adams' first significant attention outside the urban contemporary gospel arena came with the release of Mountain High... Valley Low in 1999 on Elektra Records . Several mainstream artists and producers helped in the production of this album including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis ( Janet Jackson , Boyz II Men ), James "Big Jim" Wright ( Mariah Carey , Nicole C. Mullen ), Warryn Campbell ( Mary Mary , Brandy Norwood|Brandy ), and Keith Thomas ( BeBe & CeCe Winans ). The album went Music recording sales certification|2x Platinum in 2000 and won Adams a Grammy Award. Notable singles from the album include " Yeah (Yolanda Adams Song)| Yeah ", "Fragile Heart", and " Open My Heart ". "Fragile Heart", was dedicated to the memory of Adams' long-time road manager, who died in 1998.cite web |url= http://www.gospelflava.com/reviews/yolandamountain.html |title=Yolanda Adams: Mountain High... Valley Low Review |publisher=GospelFlava.com |accessdate=February 20, 2007
In 2000, Adams released a Christmas album, and in 2001 she released a live album ( The Experience (Yolanda Adams album)|The Experience ). The Experience (Yolanda Adams album)|The Experience netted Adams a second Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. Believe (Yolanda Adams album)|Believe , which included the hit " Never Give Up (Yolanda Adams single)|Never Give Up " was released in 2001 and reached gold status according to the RIAA. She would later go on to perform this song at "The Salute to Gospel Music" at the White House during President George W. Bush 's administration. In 2001, Adams also released a compilation CD entitled The Divas Of Gospel ; it included the legendary Grammy Award winner Albertina Walker , who is considered the "queen of gospel music."
Adams recorded a song for the 2003 film Honey (2003 film)|Honey entitled "I Believe", which played during the last scene in the final dance.
Adams was also a judge for the 2nd annual The Independent Music Awards|Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers. http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima_new/pastjudges.asp Independent Music Awards - Past Judges
Day By Day
After nearly four years without releasing an album, Adams returned in 2005 with Day By Day (Yolanda Adams album)|Day By Day . Although charting higher than Mountain 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 (Yolanda Adams Song)|This Too Shall Pass ", and " Victory (Yolanda Adams Song)|Victory " (which was prominently featured in the movie The Gospel (film)|The Gospel ).
After ending her long association with Atlantic Records , Atlantic released a greatest hits collection entitled The Best of Me (Yolanda Adams album)|The Best of Me in May 2007.
Adams signed with Columbia Records in 2007. Columbia released What a Wonderful Time (Yolanda Adams album)|What a Wonderful Time , her second holiday collection, in October 2007. " Hold On (Yolanda Adams song)|Hold On " was released as the lead single.
Morning radio show and book release
After the release of "What a Wonderful Time", Adams embarked on the radio market with her "The Yolanda Adams Morning Show." The show proved to be a huge success, taking over 26 markets in just two years. Currently, the show is heard in 39 markets.
On December 25, 2009, Adams performed on Black Entertainment Television|BET 's '' The Mo'Nique Show , where she sang "Already Alright," from her 1999 Mountain High...Valley Low'' album. Mo'Nique stated that the song is one of her favorites.
In 2010, Adams released her book "Points of Power", based on one of the segments of her radio show.
Yolanda Adams appeared on the 2011 BET Honors to sing her signature song "The Battle Is the Lord's" in honor of Cicely Tyson . Later, Adams appeared at the 53rd Grammy Awards , taking part in a tribute to Aretha Franklin , along with Jennifer Hudson , Christina Aguilera , Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine , and Martina McBride . Adams performed " Spirit in the Dark " - Franklin's classic from 1970. On several occasions, Franklin stated that she "especially loved" Yolanda's performance.cite news|url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1361603/Aretha-Franklin-reveals-weight-loss-secrets-dropping-25lbs.html|title= Aretha Franklin reveals weight loss secrets|date=March 6, 2011|accessdate=March 6, 2011|location=London|work=Daily Mailcite web|url= http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=VoEJGk8W7-8|title= Aretha Franklin on the Wendy Williams Show|date=March 6, 2011|accessdate=March 6, 2011 On May 29, 2011, Yolanda sang at the prestigious National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, DC , to honor the U.S. soldiers.
Becoming
Adams' eleventh studio album , Becoming (Yolanda Adams album)|Becoming , was released on 3 May 2011. The new single, " Be Still (Yolanda Adams song)|Be Still ", produced by Drathoven , debuted on Tuesday, 19 April on the Yolanda Adams Morning show. Becoming was released by Walmart 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.
Book release
Adams released her first book Points of Power in 2010. It is a Christian book in reference to living a pure, spirit-filled Christian life.
The Yolanda Adams Morning Show on radio
Infobox Radio show|show_name = The Yolanda Adams Morning Show |italic title = no |image = |imagesize = |caption = |format = Comedy, talk, urban contemporary gospel |runtime = approx. 4 hours |creator = |writer = |producer = |starring = Yolanda Adams |opentheme = |endtheme = |country = flag|United States|first_aired = |last_aired = Present |num_episodes = |website = |home_station = |podcast = |website = http://www.Yolandaadamslive.com and TheYolandaAdamsMorningShow.com Adams is the host of The Yolanda Adams Morning Show , which currently airs on Urban contemporary gospel|Urban Gospel stations owned by Radio One (Company)|Radio One .
Morning Show cities and affiliates as of 7/21/2009
cite web >title=Yolanda's Music Box
Frequency !! Notes
Atlanta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Baltimore, Maryland
Bowman, South Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Columbia, South Carolina
Cleveland, Ohio
Columbus, Georgia
Dallas, Texas
Detroit, Michigan
Florence, South Carolina
Greenville, North Carolina
Houston, Texas
Huntsville, Alabama
Indianapolis, Indiana
Jacksonville, Florida
Little Rock, Arkansas
Memphis, Tennessee
Meridian, Mississippi
Mobile, Alabama
Nashville, Tennessee
New Orleans, Louisiana
New York, New York
Norfolk, Virginia
Orlando, Florida
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Richmond, Virginia
Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Sacramento, California
Savannah, Georgia
Summerton, South Carolina
Saint Louis, Missouri
Starkville, Mississippi
Washington, D.C.
Personal life
BLP sources|section of an article|date=May 2009In 1997, Yolanda Adams married former NFL player Tim Crawford . The couple divorced in August 2004 after seven years. Adams and Crawford had one daughter, Taylor Adams Crawford, born in 2001. http://christianmusic.about.com/od/alprofiles/p/yolandaadams.htm
Adams served as a spokesperson for the FILA Corporation's Operation Rebound , a program that addressed the concern of inner-city schoolchildren.
Discography
main|Yolanda Adams discography
1987: Just as I Am (Yolanda Adams album)|Just as I Am
1991: Through the Storm (Yolanda Adams album)|Through the Storm
1993: Save the World (Yolanda Adams album)|Save the World
1995: More Than A Melody
1997: Live in Washington
1998: Songs from the Heart (Yolanda Adams album)|Songs from the Heart
1999: Mountain High...Valley Low
2000: Christmas With Yolanda Adams
2001: Believe (Yolanda Adams album)|Believe
2002: The Experience (Yolanda Adams album)|The Experience
2005: Day By Day (Yolanda Adams album)|Day By Day
2007: What a Wonderful Time
2011: Becoming (Yolanda Adams album)|Becoming
Awards
main|List of awards received by Yolanda AdamsIn total, Adams has won four Grammy Award s, sixteen Stellar Gospel Music Awards, four of the Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards , one American Music Award , seven NAACP Image Award s, one Soul Train Music Award, and four BET Award s.
References
Reflist
External links
Commons category
http://yolandaadamslive.com/ yolandaadamslive.com Official Website
http://theyolandaadamsmorningshow.com/default.asp theyolandaadamsmorningshow.com Official Radio Show web site
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p27879
IMDb name|id=0011444|label=Yolanda Adams
Yolanda Adams DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Yolanda Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:African-American female singer-songwriters Category:African-American film actors Category:African-American radio personalities Category:American Christians Category:American gospel singers Category:American Pentecostals Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Grammy Award-winning artists Category:Members of the Church of God in Christ Category:Musicians from Houston, Texas Category:Radio One (company) Category:Texas Southern University alumni Category:Yolanda Adams|
