He was born in a rural area of Alabama, and sang with the Big Four Gospel Jubilee Singers before moving to Chicago in the early 1940s.

He then began performing in clubs on the South Side of Chicago, adopting a style derivative of Cab Calloway, wearing a tuxedo with extended tails that would swing around while he danced.

After returning to Chicago, he recorded under Tom Archia's supervision for the Aristocrat label run by Leonard Chess.

[3] His recordings there included "Cabbage Head", a version of the folk song "Our Gudeman"/"Our Goodman", also known as "Seven Drunken Nights".

[2] Adams appeared in the 1949 all-African American revue film Burlesque in Harlem, performing a risqué version of "The Hucklebuck".