Art Adams’ family moved from Kentucky to rural Indiana (Bean Blossom) and he began his musical career as a teenager.  His first band, The Kentucky Drifters, recorded a demo that was rejected by Sun Records.  Following that, The Rhythm Kings launched and their first 45, “Indian Joe/Rock Crazy Baby”, was released on Kentucky-based Cherry Records.  That record, and its follow up, “Dancing Doll/She Don’t Live Here No More”, failed to gain commercial success as rockabilly’s popularity faded.  

Adams started a new band, The Epics, which became an in-demand backing band for touring stars, including Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty and Dee Dee Sharp.  While they stayed busy as live performers, no records were released, and by the late 1960’s Art considered himself retired from the music business.

By the 1980’s, rockabilly collectors had discovered his early singles and there was renewed interest.  Eventually, Adams resumed music, with a breakout live performance in Las Vegas in 2003, bolstered by the release of a retrospective CD. More CD’s with new material were to follow, and Art Adams became popular on the rockabilly revival circuit, playing live across Europe and other places.  

Norton Records released a 4 song EP containing all four of the original Cherry sides in 2009; originals on the Cherry label are quite rare and expensive.  Adams is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

With Indianapolis his home base, Adams has regularly performed live with his band and has reached worldwide cult legend status among rockabilly fans, and is one of the top rockabilly performers to have emerged from Indiana.