The album received acclaim, and eventually peaked at No. After meeting a number of producers, she worked with Orzabal, who co-produced her new album, Circle of One. 1990s įollowing her work with Tears For Fears, Adams was offered a recording contract by their label, Fontana Records, and restarted her solo career in 1990. Adams embarked on a world tour with Tears For Fears in 1990, performing by herself as the supporting artist at the start of each show, and remaining onstage throughout the Tears For Fears set where she would provide piano and vocals. In 1989, the album was released and the single "Woman in Chains", sung as a duet by Adams and Orzabal and with Phil Collins on drums, became her first hit. A year later she participated in two sessions while she toured the Nordic countries. In 1987, Orzabal and Smith contacted her to invite her to join their band as a singer and pianist on their next album, The Seeds of Love. Soon after, Adams stopped performing in hotels and had started to look for alternative employment. In 1985, Adams was discovered by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, founders of the English band Tears for Fears, while she was performing in the Peppercorn Duck Club at the Hyatt Hotel in Kansas City, while they were on a US tour. Oleta Adams sang the National Anthem prior to Game Two of the 1984 American League Championship Series. She started her career in the early 1980s with two self-financed albums which had limited success.
With the advice of her singing coach, Lee Farrell, Adams moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where she did a variety of local gigs. However, many music executives were exclusively interested in disco music rather than Adams' preferred style. In the 1970s, she moved to Los Angeles, California, where she recorded a demo tape. She got her musical start in the church.īefore gaining her opportunity to perform, Adams faced a great deal of rejection. In her youth, her family moved to Yakima, Washington, which is sometimes shown as her place of birth. Adams was born the daughter of a preacher and was raised listening to gospel music.