Broadway BUZZ

Yolanda Adams is a world-renowned singer, record producer, actor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the proud mother of daughter, Taylor Ayanna Crawford. A graduate of Texas Southern University, she earned her degree in Radio and Television Broadcasting. Adams began a career as a schoolteacher and part-time model in Houston. She began singing at the age of sixteen as a lead vocalist with the Houston’s Southeast Inspirational Choir, affiliated with Outreach Missionary Baptist Church. In 1986, she was featured on the Edwin Hawkins Music and Arts Seminar Choir release, Give Us Peace with a performance titled “My Trust Lies in You.” Thomas Whitfield discovered her during one of Adams’ spectacular performances, and later signed her with Sounds of Gospel in which yielded her first album, “Just As I Am” in 1987. In 1990, she signed with producer/keyboardist Ben Tankard, and signed to his independent label, Tribute Records and released “Through the Storm” in 1991.