Yolanda Adams

Yolanda Adams
Adams in 2001
Adams in 2001
Background information
Birth nameYolanda Yvette Adams
Also known as
  • Queen of Contemporary Gospel Music
  • First Lady of Modern Gospel
Born (1961-08-27) August 27, 1961 (age 63)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • radio host
  • actress
Years active1982–present
Labels
Websiteyolandaadamslive.com

Yolanda Yvette Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million albums worldwide.[1] In addition to achieving multi-platinum status,[2] she has won four Grammy Awards,[3] four Dove Awards, five BET Awards, six NAACP Image Awards, six Soul Train Music Awards, two BMI Awards and sixteen Stellar Awards.[4] She is the first Gospel artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song. She is also the first Gospel artist to be awarded an American Music Award.[5]

She is known as the "Queen of Contemporary Gospel Music",[6] the "First Lady of Modern Gospel",[7] while Variety dubbed her the "Reigning Queen of Urban Gospel".[8]

Adams was named by Billboard, in 2009, as the No. 1 gospel artist of the decade, driven by the sales of her No. 1 album Mountain High...Valley Low.[9] In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded Adams with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for her volunteer service.[10] She was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame by the Gospel Music Association in 2017.[11] In 2018, she became the first gospel artist nominated for a Tony Award for her work on SpongeBob SquarePants.[12] In 2019, she received the Soul Train Music Awards Lady of Soul Award,[13] and received critical acclaim for officially opening Super Bowl LIV with her performance of "America the Beautiful".[14] Billboard listed her as one of the Top Gospel Artist of the 2010s.[15] She has scored five number one albums on Billboard's Top Gospel Album.[16] Adams was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.

  1. ^ "Yolanda Adams at the 2019 Soul Train Awards: Our Lady Of Soul Gets Candid On The State Of Gospel". BET. November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  2. ^ "5 Questions for Yolanda Adams on Her New Album". May 15, 2011. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  3. ^ "Yolanda Adams". GRAMMY.com. November 26, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "Yolanda Adams Live | Awards". YolandaAdamsLive. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  5. ^ "Prudential Center Hosts McDonalds Gospelfest". NewJerseyStage. February 7, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  6. ^ "The 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards Roundup: Gospel Field". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. January 30, 2006. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  7. ^ "Yolanda Adams". Gospel Music Association. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  8. ^ "Hopeville Tour". Variety. January 26, 2003. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  9. ^ "Bobby Jones and Its Strongest Voice Prepare to Say Farewell". The New York Times. August 3, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  10. ^ "Yolanda Adams". PBS. July 4, 2020. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  11. ^ "Yolanda Adams inducted into Gospel Music Hall of Fame". FOX. May 16, 2017. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  12. ^ "2018 Tony Award Nominations: SpongeBob SquarePants and Mean Girls Lead the Pack". Playbill. May 1, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  13. ^ "2019 BET Soul Train Awards: The winners list". CNN. February 2, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  14. ^ "Yolanda Adams Opens Super Bowl 2020 With A Performance Of 'America the Beautiful'". February 2, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  15. ^ "Yolanda Adams". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  16. ^ "Yolanda Adams". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2021.