b. Roberta Louise Osborn, 26 July 1917; Indianapolis, IN
Vocalist. Santelli gives a birth date of July 26, 1923.
Adams moved to Detroit before age five and began
her career in the late 1930s as a tap dancer. She
started to sing at Club B&C in 1942, worked steadily
as a vocalist from 1942 onward, and then began
incorporating blues into her repertoire. By 1944 she
was billed locally as ‘‘Queen of the Blues.’’ Adams
toured with Lionel Hampton, Louis Jordan, and TBone Walker and recorded for Chess in 1952 and
under her own name for Cannonball.
JIM GALLERT/EDWARD KOMARA
Bibliography
Santelli
Discography: LSFP
Selected Recordings
‘‘Say Baby Say’’ (Cannonball CBD 29114).
‘‘Born with the Blues’’ (Cannonball CBD 29106)