Art Adams

Art Adams (b. Locust, Kentucky, February 12, 1935 - ) -- Singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Art Adams grew up on a farm in Kentucky and moved with his family for a short time to Brown County. In the late 1940s, he moved with his mom to Indianapolis and has lived in the area ever since. As a teenager he led a country band called the Kentucky Drifters. In the mid 1950s, he saw Little Jimmy Dickens perform and became inspired to "rock" up his band, which became known as Art Adams and the Rhythm Knights. In 1959, his band cut a deal with Cherry Records, a label in Kentucky, after giving them demos made at the WIBC studios in Indianapolis. Of the four songs recorded with Cherry, "Rock Crazy Baby" got the most airplay and has become a rockabilly classic. The other three songs were "Indian Joe," "She Don't Live Here No More," and "Dancing Doll." When rockabilly quickly went out of style in the early 1960s, Art formed a rock 'n roll band called the Epics, which played up until 1968. At the end of that band's run, he got out of the music business. In the late 1990s, he returned to performing and found himself in high demand in Europe, particularly France and Spain. His records are highly sought after by collectors, and he is still performing in his 80s.