Tom Adams (musician)
| Tom Adams | |
|---|---|
| Tom Adams - performance with Seneca Rocks at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival, September 2, 2007 Tom Adams - performance with Seneca Rocks at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival, September 2, 2007 |
|
| Background information | |
| Born | November 17, 1958 |
| Origin | Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Genres | Bluegrass |
| Occupations | Bluegrass Artist |
| Instruments | Banjo, Guitar, Vocals |
| Years active | 1968 – Present |
| Labels | Rounder Records |
| Website | www.adamscountybanjo.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| 1981 Gold Star GF-100W 5-String Banjo, Serial #810345 |
|
Tom Adams (born November 17, 1958) is a bluegrass musician born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Featured as a banjo player on recordings made between 1974 and 2006 with The Adams Brothers, The Johnson Mountain Boys, The Lynn Morris Band, Blue Highway, Rhonda Vincent, Dale Ann Bradley, Michael Cleveland and many others, the neurological disorder known as focal dystonia has led Tom to continue his career in bluegrass music as a guitar player and vocalist. Adams was also a member of Jimmy Martin & the Sunny Mountain Boys (1983–1985) but Martin was not actively recording during that period.[1]
In the spring of 2008 Adams (on guitar) formed Diamond Joe, a bluegrass band based in south-central Pennsylvania, with Chris Warner (banjo), Mark Seitz (mandolin) and Steve Streett (bass). The group disbanded in July, 2008, when Adams began rehearsals with Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band to replace vocalist and guitarist Wayne Taylor in Emerson's group.[2]
Band founder and leader Bill Emerson changed the official name of the group to Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie in the fall of 2008 after the departure of vocalist Con Burch. From October 2008 to August 1, 2009 the group performed in the greater Washington, D.C. area and consisted of Bill Emerson - banjo, Tom Adams - guitar, Teri Chism - bass, Wayne Lanham - mandolin and Lynn Morris - FOH sound engineer.[3]
On July 6, 2009, Adams was hired as the lead vocalist and guitar player for Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper. He played his first shows with the band on August 7 and 8 in Henderson, Kentucky.[4] On April 2, 2010, Adams and the band began recording the group's new project for Rounder Records. Flamekeeper members at that time were: Michael Cleveland - fiddle, vocals; Jesse Brock - mandolin, vocals; Marshall Wilborn - bass, vocals; Tom Adams - guitar, vocals and Jessie Baker - banjo, vocals.
On February 3, 2011, Rounder Records announced that the new CD by Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, titled "Fired Up", will be released on Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Eight of the album's 14 tracks were written by members of the group, including five original songs by Tom Adams, and one original each from Jessie Baker (banjo), Jesse Brock and Marshall Wilborn.[5]
On May 9, 2011, Tom Adams along with fellow band mates Marshall Wilborn and Jesse Brock, confirmed their departure from Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper with Bluegrass Blog author John Lawless. Flamekeeper banjoist Jessie Baker left the group on January 16, 2011.[6]
Adams is a monthly columnist (Adams County Banjo) for the music publication, Banjo NewsLetter.[7]
[edit] Discography
- Right Hand Man (Rounder Records, 1990)
- Rounder Banjo Extravaganza "Live", with Tony Trischka and Tony Furtado (Rounder Records, 1992)
- Adams County Banjo (Rounder Records, 2001)
- Live at the Ragged Edge, with Michael Cleveland (Rounder Records, 2004)
[edit] Awards
- IBMA Album of the Year - 1990 (At the Old Schoolhouse, The Johnson Mountain Boys)
- IBMA Banjo Player of the Year - 1992
- IBMA Banjo Player of the Year - 1993
- IBMA Entertainer of the Year - 2001 (with Rhonda Vincent & the Rage)
- IBMA Banjo Player of the Year - 2002
- IBMA Instrumental Album of the Year - 2004 (Live at the Ragged Edge, with Michael Cleveland)
- IBMA Best Liner Notes - 2006 (Let 'Er Go Boys, Michael Cleveland)
- IBMA Recorded Event of the Year - 2007 (Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular)
- IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year - 2009 (as a member of Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper)
- IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year - 2010 (as a member of Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper)
- IBMA Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year - 2011 ("Goin' Up Dry Branch," on Fired Up by Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper)
[edit] References
- ^ Excerpt from article By Ann E. Diviney, August 2005 issue of Central PA Magazine
- ^ The Bluegrass Blog - Tom Adams to Sweet Dixie Band
- ^ Sweet Dixie - list of band members
- ^ Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper home page
- ^ [1]
- ^ The Bluegrass Blog - Statement from Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper
- ^ Banjo NewsLetter home page
