Adam Wade (singer)
Patrick Henry Wade,[3] known professionally as Adam Wade, (born March 17, 1935) is an American singer, musician and actor. Wade is perhaps most known for his stint as the host of the CBS game show Musical Chairs (1975), which noted him as the first Black game show host.
Adam Wade | |
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.png) Wade circa 1964. | |
| Born | Patrick Henry Wade March 17, 1935[1][2] Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Education | Virginia State College (attended) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1959–present |
| Spouse(s) | Kay A. Wade
( m. 1956; div. 1973)Jeree Wade ( m. 1989) |
| Children | 3 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments |
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| Labels | |
Biography
Early life and education
Born to Pauline Simpson and Henry Oliver Wade, Jr., Wade was raised by his grandparents. Wade grew up in the East Liberty neighborhood and attended Westinghouse High School; graduating in 1952. After high school, Wade attended Virginia State University but dropped out in his sophomore year.[4]
Career
After working for a time as a lab assistant with Dr. Jonas Salk on the polio research team,[5] Wade began to pursue a recording career, signing with Coed Records in late 1959. He had his first hit in early 1960 (#58) with the song "Ruby",[6] a cover of the hit movie song of 1953.[7]
Wade was popular in the early-1960s.[8] In 1961 three of his recordings ("Take Good Care of Her" (#7), "As If I Didn't Know" (#10) and "The Writing on the Wall" (#5) made the Top Ten in the Billboard Hot 100 chart. These songs also made the Top Five of Billboard's Easy Listening (later Adult Contemporary) survey. Wade released the following albums in the United Kingdom: Adam and Evening (HMV CLP 1451) in 1961, Adam Wade One Is A Lonely Number, mono Columbia 33SX1501 and stereo Columbia SCX3474, in 1962. Wade also released an EP in 1960, And Then Came Adam (HMV 7EG 8620). "Take Good Care of Her" reached #38 in the UK Singles Chart in June 1961.[9] Wade's vocal style was generally compared to that of his contemporary Johnny Mathis. But it was actually a singer from an earlier period, Nat King Cole, who was his principal influence. In a Connecticut Public Radio interview, Wade said: "My father introduced me to Nat’s music when I was a kid. He was my idol since high school."[10]
In 1975, Wade become the first African-American to host a television game show, with the premiere of Musical Chairs. He starred in a stage production of Guys and Dolls in 1978, and hosted the talk show Mid-Morning LA.[11] In 1979, he co-starred with Della Reese in a production of Same Time, Next Year.[12] On TV he was seen in the soap operas The Guiding Light and Search for Tomorrow, and was a familiar presence on such popular black-oriented sitcoms as Sanford & Son, The Jeffersons, What's Happening!! and Good Times. His handsome face lit up the room and allowed his natural mannerism to take over the scene. In the late–1970s and early–1980s Wade began to concentrate on acting, and appeared in several of the so-called blaxploitation movies, including Gordon's War.
Wade briefly returned to recording, producing a self–titled album on the Kirschner record label, which was distributed by Columbia Records. This was a venture into a more soulful singing genre. It met with moderate success but is still a favorite with his loyal fans. He appeared in one episode of The Dukes of Hazzard as mobile dentist Dr. Homer Willis, DDS (Season 2 Episode 2, "Gold Fever"). His latest theatrical appearance was with the 2008 touring company of the play The Color Purple. Wade and his wife have a music production firm, Songbird, whose headquarters are in New Jersey.
Personal life
Wade has been married twice and has three children. Wade's first marriage was to his high school sweetheart Kay A. Wade from 1956 until 1973. Together, they have three children; Sheldon (Ramel) Wade (b. 1956), Patrice Johnson Wade (b. 1957) and Michael (Jamel) Wade (b. September 1960). Wade has been married since 1989 to Jeree Wade, an entertainer. They often perform together. Wade revealed in an interview that he actually met her on Musical Chairs.[3]
Discography
Albums
Singles
| Year | Titles (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated |
Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US AC | US R&B | |||
| 1960 | "Tell Her for Me" b/w "Don't Cry, My Love" (Non-album track) |
66 | — | — | And Then Came Adam |
| "Ruby" b/w "Too Far" (Non-album track) |
58 | — | — | ||
| "I Can't Help It" b/w "I Had the Craziest Dream" (from And Then Came Adam) |
64 | — | — | Adam Wade's Greatest Hits | |
| "Speaking of Her" b/w "Blackout the Moon" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | ||
| "In Pursuit of Happiness" b/w "For the Want of Your Love" |
— | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "Gloria's Theme" b/w "Dreamy" |
74 | — | — | Adam and Evening | |
| 1961 | "Take Good Care of Her" Original B-side: "Sleepy Time Gal" (from Adam and Evening) Later B-side: "Too Far" (Non-album track) |
7 | — | 20 | Adam Wade's Greatest Hits |
| "The Writing on the Wall" / | 5 | 5 | 20 | ||
| "Point of No Return" | 85 | — | — | Non-album track | |
| "As If I Didn't Know" b/w "Playin' Around" (Non-album track) |
10 | 4 | 16 | Adam Wade's Greatest Hits | |
| "Tonight I Won't Be There" / | 61 | 14 | — | ||
| "Linda" | 94 | — | — | ||
| "Preview of Paradise" b/w "Cold, Cold Winter" |
108 | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| 1962 | "How Are Things in Lovers Lane" / | 114 | — | — | |
| "It's Good to Have You Back with Me" | 109 | — | — | ||
| "For the First Time in My Life" b/w "Little Miss Lovely" |
118 | — | — | ||
| "I'm Climbin' the Wall" b/w "They Didn't Believe Me" |
— | — | — | ||
| "There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight" b/w "Here Comes the Pain" (Non-album track) |
104 | — | — | What Kind of Fool Am I? | |
| 1963 | "Don't Let Me Cross Over" b/w "Rain from the Skies" |
117 | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| "Teenage Mona Lisa" b/w "Why Do We Have to Wait So Long" |
— | — | — | ||
| "Theme from 'Irma La Douce' (Look Again)" b/w "Let's Make the Most of a Beautiful Thing" |
— | — | — | ||
| "Does Goodnight Mean Goodbye" b/w "Charade" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1964 | "Seven Loves for Seven Days" b/w "A Whisper Away" |
— | — | — | |
| "When April Smiles at Me" b/w "Pencil and Paper" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1965 | "Crying in the Chapel" b/w "Broken Hearted Stranger" |
88 | 20 | — | |
| "A Lover's Question" b/w "It's Been a Long Time Comin'" |
— | — | — | ||
| "Garden in the Rain" b/w "Play Some Music for Broken Hearts" |
— | — | — | ||
| "The Time for Dreams" b/w "Garden of Eden" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1966 | "Solitude" b/w "How Can I Leave You" |
— | — | — | |
| "A Man Alone" b/w "Wheels on the Highway" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1967 | "Julie on My Mind" b/w "With One Exception" |
— | — | — | |
| 1968 | "Maybe" b/w "Everyone Is Looking for That Someone" |
— | — | — | |
| "Rome" b/w "Old Devil Moon" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Keeping Up with the Joneses" b/w "Russell Never Had a Chance" |
— | — | — | Adam Wade |
| 1989 | "She Don't Want Anything" b/w "There's More to a Man Than Just a Name" |
— | — | — | Non-album tracks |
References
- "March 17, 1935". Brainyhistory.com. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
- "Adam Wade Biography". Thehistorymakers. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008.
- "Adam Wade Biography". IMDb.
- McNally, Owen (2012-02-14). "Crooner Wade Visits Hartford". Connecticut Public Radio Home. Connecticut Public Radio. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
I was the first one in my family to go to college, but dropped out in my sophomore year from Virginia State University.
- McNally, Owen (2012-02-14). "Crooner Wade Visits Hartford". Connecticut Public Radio Home. Connecticut Public Radio. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
As a young man, I worked as a lab technician for Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the vaccine for polio.
- "Adam Wade - Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
Peaked at #58 on 4.18.1960
- "Ruby Gentry - Soundtrack Details". Retrieved 2020-06-03.
Track listing - 2. Ruby (Roemheld-Parish) Harmonica Solo: George Fields; RUBY GENTRY
- "Adam Wade". Oldies.com. 1937-03-17. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
- Roberts, David (2005). British Hit Singles & Albums (18th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 98. ISBN 978-1904994008.
- McNally, Owen (2012-02-14). "Crooner Wade Visits Hartford". Connecticut Public Radio Home. Connecticut Public Radio. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
- Opinde, Walter (2019-04-23). "June 16, 1975, Adam Wade". Retrieved 2020-06-03.
He starred in the production Guys and Dolls in 1978, and hosted the talk show Mid-Morning Los Angeles.
- "Adam Wade Plays Della Reese's Lover In Stage Production". Jet. Vol. 56 no. 21. August 9, 1979. pp. 60–61. ISSN 0021-5996. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
External links
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