She was born in Essex County, New Jersey,[1] the daughter of Naomi Edwards[1]and David Tuell who was a gospel singer and a key figure in the Church of God in Christ (COGIC).
While performing in Atlanta, Georgia, she was discovered by the singer Ruth Brown, who won her an audition with the bandleader Joe Morris of Atlantic Records.
[4] In 1954, Adams had two more R&B chart toppers with "I'll Be True" (later covered by Bill Haley in 1954 and by a young Jackie DeShannon in 1957) and "It Hurts Me to My Heart".
[5] In the 1970s, she was credited as co-writer with her husband of several gospel and secular songs, and released a single, "Sinner Man", on Savoy Records in 1975.
[1] According to music writer and rhythm and blues historian Marv Goldberg, he located a single source, albeit without a written obituary, stating that a "Fannie Jones" (Tuell's married name), died aged 93, on November 2, 2016, but this has not been confirmed as being the famous singer.