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| Instrument = [[Guitar]], [[Banjo]], [[Singing|Vocals]]
| Instrument = [[Guitar]], [[Banjo]], [[Singing|Vocals]]
| Genre = [[Folk music|Folk]]
| Genre = [[Folk music|Folk]]
| Occupation = [[Singer–songwriter]]
| Occupation = [[Singer-songwriter]]
| Years_active =
| Years_active =
| Label =
| Label =
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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]], [[California]]. The two traveled around and recorded albums, among them ''Cowboys'' and ''The Rambling Boys''.
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]], [[California]]. The two traveled around and recorded albums, among them ''Cowboys'' and ''The Rambling Boys''.


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 (see Paul Williams's ''Bob Dylan: Performing Artist'' series, particularly vol. 1, for a more in-depth discussion of the tension between the performative and the compositional).
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 (see Paul Williams's ''Bob Dylan: Performing Artist'' series, particularly vol. 1, for a more in-depth discussion of the tension between the performative and the compositional).


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 [[United Kingdom|UK]] with [[Gyp Mills|Gypsy Dave]], under his wing as a sort of protege; as a result, the influence of American traditional music can be distinctly heard in Donovan's earlier work (see [[D. A. Pennebaker]]'s ''[[Dont Look Back]]'').
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 protege; as a result, the influence of American traditional music can be distinctly heard in Donovan's earlier work (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.
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.


==Discography==
==Discography==
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*1994: ''Derroll Adams LIVE''
*1994: ''Derroll Adams LIVE''
*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


===With Ramblin' Jack Elliott===
===With Ramblin' Jack Elliott===
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.derrolladams.com/ Home page]
*[http://home.arcor.de/kai63/dadams.html Extensive discography with tracks and covers]
*[http://home.arcor.de/kai63/dadams.html Extensive discography with tracks and covers]


Revision as of 08:40, 17 December 2010

Derroll Adams

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

Biography

Adams was born Derroll Lewis Thompson in Portland, Oregon. At 16, he served in the Army and later in the Coast Guard. 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, California. The two traveled around and recorded albums, among them Cowboys and The Rambling Boys.

According to legend, Adams and Elliott would go in the studio with whatever they had, which may have included whiskey and 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 (see Paul Williams's Bob Dylan: Performing Artist series, particularly vol. 1, for a more in-depth discussion of the tension between the performative and the compositional).

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 Gypsy Dave, under his wing as a sort of protege; as a result, the influence of American traditional music can be distinctly heard in Donovan's earlier work (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.

Discography

Solo projects

With Ramblin' Jack Elliott

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

Sources

  • Williams, Paul: Bob Dylan Performing Artist vols. 1–3 (aka The Early Years, The Middle Years & 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

Template:Persondata

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