Blues singer Alberta Adams passed away on early Christmas morning in Detroit at the age of 97. Adams was one of the last of the great post-WW II era blues singers, and had recently gone through a long period of failing health.
Detroit-based music entrepreneur RJ Spangler was quoted in Billboard saying “She was a unique and dynamic performer.” Spangler helped revive Adams’ career during the the ’00s with his band the Rhythm Rockers and his Eastlawn Recorded label. “She found her own way to sing the blues. She was a one-of-a-kind artist,” he added.
Adams was born Roberta Louise Osborne in Indianapolis, and moved to Detroit as a youngster where she was raised by several family members. She began her career as a tap dancer and eventually became a singer, and performed alongside artists like John Lee Hooker and Big Maceo.
Adams is survived by a daughter, Barbra Jean Tinsley, nine grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. Memorial details for Adams are pending.
