Billy Adams

Willie Murray Adams (March 6, 1940 – March 30, 2019) was an American rockabilly musician and a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. He recorded the 1950s song "Rock, Pretty Mama", recognized as "a seminal rockabilly classic" by critics. Other songs he recorded in the 1950s include "You Heard Me Knocking", "True Love Will Come Your Way", and "You Gotta Have a Duck Tail". He toured with his family band for decades and, as his rockabilly interest declined, he entered the ministry and wrote Gospel songs. He made a comeback late in his career when a collection of 27 of Adams' songs was released in 2002. Fans re-embraced his rockabilly music 45 years after the original recordings, igniting demand for his appearances at music festivals in U.S. and Britain. Adams died March 30, 2019, at age 79.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 6, 1940 (Redbush), Died March 30, 2019 (Westmoreland)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1958

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 104699 4/1/1958 Short hair and turtle neck sweater Billy Adams vocalist  
Decca 104700 4/1/1958 Baby, I'm bugged Billy Adams vocalist  
Decca 104701 4/1/1958 Red, white and black stockin' Billy Adams vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Adams, Billy," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/300336.

Adams, Billy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/300336.

"Adams, Billy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/300336

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