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{{More footnotes|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Derroll Adams
| name = Derroll Adams
| image =
| image =Derroll Adams.png
| caption =
| caption = Adams busking in [[Saint-Tropez]], [[France]] in 1957
| image_size =
| image_size =
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Derroll Lewis Thompson
| birth_name = Derroll Lewis Thompson
| alias =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1925|11|27}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1925|11|27}}
| birth_place = [[Portland, Oregon]], United States
| birth_place = [[Portland, Oregon]], United States
| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|2|6|1925|11|27}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|2|6|1925|11|27}}
| death_place = [[Antwerp]], Belgium
| death_place = [[Antwerp]], Belgium
| origin =
| origin =
| instrument = [[Guitar]], [[Banjo]], [[Singing|Vocals]]
| instrument = Guitar, [[banjo]], vocals
| genre = [[Folk music|Folk]]
| genre = [[Folk music|Folk]]
| occupation = [[Singer-songwriter]]
| occupation = Singer-songwriter
| years_active =
| years_active =
| label =
| label =
| website = [https://derrolladams.org/en/discography.html derrolladams.org]
| associated_acts = [[Ramblin' Jack Elliott]]
| website =
| current_members =
| past_members =
}}
}}

'''Derroll Adams''' (November 27, 1925 &ndash; February 6, 2000) was an American [[folk music]]ian.
'''Derroll Adams''' (November 27, 1925 – February 6, 2000)<ref name="AMG">{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/derroll-adams-mn0000249121/biography|title=Derroll Adams &#124; Biography & History|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=August 12, 2021}}</ref> was an American [[folk music]]ian.


==Biography==
==Biography==
Adams was born Derroll Lewis Thompson in [[Portland, Oregon]]. At 16, he served in the [[United States Army|Army]] and later in the [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]]. He was a tall, lanky [[banjo]] player with a deep voice. He was [[busking]] around the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] music scene in the 1950s when he met [[Ramblin' Jack Elliott]] in the [[Topanga Canyon]] area of Los Angeles. The two traveled around and recorded albums, among them ''Cowboys'' and ''The Rambling Boys''.
He was born '''Derroll Lewis Thompson''' in [[Portland, Oregon]], United States.<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|pages=39/40}}</ref> At 16, he served in the [[United States Army|Army]], but was discharged when his true age of 16 was discovered, and later in the [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]].<ref name="AMG"/> He was a tall, lanky [[banjo]] player with a deep voice. He was [[busking]] around the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] music scene in the 1950s when he met [[Ramblin' Jack Elliott]] in the [[Topanga Canyon]] area of Los Angeles.<ref name="AMG"/> The two traveled around and recorded albums, among them ''Cowboys'' and ''The Rambling Boys''.


⚫
His recording career was somewhat uneven, and like Elliott he was better known for whom he influenced—[[Donovan]], among others—than for his own art. With Elliott, he had gone to England to play live and record.<ref name="AMG"/> Elliott went back, but Adams stayed.<ref name="AMG"/> He took Donovan, who had been playing around the UK with [[Gyp Mills|Gypsy Dave]], under his wing as a sort of protégé; as a result, the influence of American traditional music can be distinctly heard in Donovan's earlier work, including the song "[[A Gift From A Flower To A Garden|Epistle To Derroll]]".<ref name="AMG"/>
According to legend, Adams and Elliott would go in the studio with whatever they had, which may have included whiskey and [[cannabis (drug)|marijuana]], and they recorded whatever they felt like recording on the spur of the moment. This style of recording was probably more prevalent in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s—the result is that the recording is loose around the edges but preserves some of the spontaneity and vigor of a live performance. It is a performative, rather than a compositional, style.


In celebration of Adams 65th birthday, a concert featuring [[Allan Taylor (musician)|Allan Taylor]], [[Wizz Jones]], former members of [[Pentangle (band)|Pentangle]] and [[Happy Traum]], plus Adams former travelling partner Elliott, was recorded and released on album.<ref name="LarkinGE"/>
⚫
His recording career was somewhat uneven, and like Elliott he was better known for whom he influenced—[[Donovan]], among others—than for his own art. With Elliott, he had gone to England to play live and record. Elliott went back, and Adams stayed. He took Donovan, who had been playing around the UK with [[Gyp Mills|Gypsy Dave]], under his wing as a sort of protégé; as a result, the influence of American traditional music can be distinctly heard in Donovan's earlier work, including the song "[[A Gift From A Flower To A Garden|Epistle To Derroll]]. (Also see [[D. A. Pennebaker]]'s ''[[Dont Look Back]]'').


Adams died in [[Antwerp]], Belgium, in 2000. His collaboration with Elliott left behind a body of influence that prevails today. [[Topic Records]] has made most of his and Elliott's recordings available on CD.{{Citation needed|date=March 2016}}
Adams died in [[Antwerp]], Belgium, in February 2000.<ref name="AMG"/> His collaboration with Elliott left behind a body of influence that prevails today. [[Topic Records]] has made most of his and Elliott's recordings available on CD.{{Citation needed|date=March 2016}}


==Discography==
==Discography==
Line 43: Line 42:
*1997: ''Songs of the Banjoman''
*1997: ''Songs of the Banjoman''
*2002: ''Banjoman – a tribute to Derroll Adams'', Blue Groove BG-1420
*2002: ''Banjoman – a tribute to Derroll Adams'', Blue Groove BG-1420
*2016: ''Live in Haarlem 1977'', SCR-78 StrictlyCountryRecords.com.


'''With Ramblin' Jack Elliott'''
'''With Ramblin' Jack Elliott'''
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*1969: ''Riding in Folkland''
*1969: ''Riding in Folkland''
*1975: ''America''
*1975: ''America''

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==Sources==
==Sources==
*Williams, Paul: ''Bob Dylan Performing Artist vols. 1–3'' (aka ''The Early Years'', ''The Middle Years'' and ''Mind Out of Time'', respectively)
*Williams, Paul: ''Bob Dylan Performing Artist vols. 1–3'' (a.k.a. ''The Early Years'', ''The Middle Years'' and ''Mind Out of Time'', respectively)
*[[D. A. Pennebaker|Pennebaker, D. A.]]: ''[[Dont Look Back]]''
*[[D. A. Pennebaker|Pennebaker, D. A.]]: ''[[Dont Look Back]]''
*Donovan: ''Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964–1976''
*Donovan: ''Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964–1976''
Line 58: Line 61:


==External links==
==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLTtj44P6u8 Banjoman: A Tribute to Derroll Adams (2002 album)]
*[http://home.arcor.de/kai63/dadams.html Extensive discography with tracks and covers]


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Derroll}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Derroll}}
[[Category:American folk singers]]
[[Category:American folk singers]]
[[Category:American buskers]]
[[Category:American street performers]]
[[Category:Musicians from Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:Musicians from Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:Singers from Oregon]]

Latest revision as of 20:50, 8 June 2024

Derroll Adams
Adams busking in Saint-Tropez, France in 1957
Adams busking in Saint-Tropez, France in 1957
Background information
Birth nameDerroll Lewis Thompson
Born(1925-11-27)November 27, 1925
Portland, Oregon, United States
DiedFebruary 6, 2000(2000-02-06) (aged 74)
Antwerp, Belgium
GenresFolk
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, banjo, vocals
Websitederrolladams.org

Derroll Adams (November 27, 1925 – February 6, 2000)[1] was an American folk musician.

Biography[edit]

He was born Derroll Lewis Thompson in Portland, Oregon, United States.[2] At 16, he served in the Army, but was discharged when his true age of 16 was discovered, and later in the Coast Guard.[1] He was a tall, lanky banjo player with a deep voice. He was busking around the West Coast music scene in the 1950s when he met Ramblin' Jack Elliott in the Topanga Canyon area of Los Angeles.[1] The two traveled around and recorded albums, among them Cowboys and The Rambling Boys.

His recording career was somewhat uneven, and like Elliott he was better known for whom he influenced—Donovan, among others—than for his own art. With Elliott, he had gone to England to play live and record.[1] Elliott went back, but Adams stayed.[1] He took Donovan, who had been playing around the UK with Gypsy Dave, under his wing as a sort of protégé; as a result, the influence of American traditional music can be distinctly heard in Donovan's earlier work, including the song "Epistle To Derroll".[1]

In celebration of Adams 65th birthday, a concert featuring Allan Taylor, Wizz Jones, former members of Pentangle and Happy Traum, plus Adams former travelling partner Elliott, was recorded and released on album.[2]

Adams died in Antwerp, Belgium, in February 2000.[1] His collaboration with Elliott left behind a body of influence that prevails today. Topic Records has made most of his and Elliott's recordings available on CD.[citation needed]

Discography[edit]

Solo projects

  • 1967: Portland Town
  • 1972: Feelin' Fine
  • 1974: Movin' On
  • 1977: Along the Way
  • 1978: Folk Friends, double LP recorded in Germany with Davey Arthur, Alex Campbell, Guy & Candie Carawan, Finbar Furey (The Fureys), Wizz Jones, Werner Lämmerhirt and Hannes Wader.
  • 1994: Derroll Adams LIVE
  • 1997: Songs of the Banjoman
  • 2002: Banjoman – a tribute to Derroll Adams, Blue Groove BG-1420
  • 2016: Live in Haarlem 1977, SCR-78 StrictlyCountryRecords.com.

With Ramblin' Jack Elliott

  • 1957: The Rambling Boys
  • 1963: Roll On Buddy
  • 1969: Folkland Songs
  • 1969: Riding in Folkland
  • 1975: America

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Derroll Adams | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 39/40. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.

Sources[edit]

  • Williams, Paul: Bob Dylan Performing Artist vols. 1–3 (a.k.a. The Early Years, The Middle Years and Mind Out of Time, respectively)
  • Pennebaker, D. A.: Dont Look Back
  • Donovan: Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964–1976
  • Folk Freak Plattenproduktion Folk Friends 1978

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Derroll_Adams&oldid=1227980166"