Yolanda Adams
Named Billboard Magazine’s number 1 Gospel Artist of the decade in2009, Grammy and Stellar Award-winning singer/songwriter/actress and radio host Yolanda Adams is a former teacher, turned cross-over groundbreaking, multi-million selling Urban Contemporary Gospel recording artist whose music has successfully merged the worlds of Gospel and R&B, widening the door for Gospel in the mainstream marketplace.
Her first introduction to national fame came as a teen when the Houston native sang lead on the 1982 Gospel hit, “My Liberty”Ā by the Southeast Inspiration Choir. She was later featured on Edwin Hawkins’ hit, “My Trust Lies In You” from his Music and Arts Seminar Mass Choir’s album Give Us Peace.
In the late 80s, she released her first album, Just As I Am on an independent label. By the early 1990s, Gospel Jazz pioneer, Ben Tankard had signed her to his Gospel/Jazz label, Tribute. Because her vocal style had Jazz overtones, it was an easy fit.
Adams released a series of hit albums in the 1990s for Tribute, starting with Through The Storm, Save The World, More Than A Melody, Yolanda Adams“Ā¦Live in Washington. Her first taste of cross-over radio airplay came with her single, “Gotta Have Love” from More Than A Melody, featuring R&B crooner Tony Terry.
Despite this new avenue, she remained firmly planted as a Gospel star with soul-stirring classics like her signature song, “The Battle Is The Lord’s,” “Even Me” and “Through The Storm.”Ā
Through label mergers and acquisitions, the Gospel diva landed at Verity/Zomba Records by the end of the 1990s where she continued her string of Gospel cross-over hits into the new millennium, which included “Still I Rise,” and “Only Believe” from the CD, Songs From The Heart.
Her greatest success and biggest push into the mainstream came when she broke ground as the first major Gospel artist Sylvia Rhone signed to Elektra Records in the late 90s. She released the cross-over multiple platinum-selling CD, Mountain High”Ā¦Valley Low in 1999 which crossed formats and racked up spins at Urban, Gospel and Christian music radio with the ballad, “Open My Heart.”Ā
That song introduced her to a large mainstream audience and broadened her appeal beyond Gospel and the church. Under Elektra Adams gained more cross-over appeal with the release of Day by Day, spawning hits “Be Blessed,” “This Too Shall Pass” and “Victory,”Ā featured in the film, The Gospel.
In between, she released a Christmas CD and the Grammy Award-winning live project, The Experience, the Gold selling Believe featuring “Never Give Up.” When her association ended with Elektra/Atlantic Adams became a part of the Columbia Records family but only released a Christmas album What A Wonderful Time in 207 featuring the hit “Hold On.”Ā
Because of her worldwide popularity, she is often called upon to represent the Genre on major TV specials. She’s performed on BET Honors and in a tribute to Aretha Franklin on the 53rd Grammy Awards.
In 2011 she became a record label owner and released Becoming Yolanda. Adams continues to break ground in nonmusic areas. As host of the nationally syndicated Yolanda Adams Morning Show, she is one of the few modern-day Gospel stars to host a successful syndicated morning radio show. She also has published the book Points of Power. And as a diva who loves fashion, she recently launched her own clothing line.
