The oldest of six siblings, Adams was raised in Houston, Texas. She graduated from Sterling High School in Houston in 1979. After graduating from University of California Berkeley, she began a career as a schoolteacher and part-time model in Houston, Texas. Eventually she gave up teaching to perform full-time as a lead singer.
Musical career;
Beginnings;
Adams attracted the attention of Thomas Whitfield and Sound of Gospel Records as a lead singer in the Southeast Inspirational Choir. She signed a recording contract with Sound of Gospel which yielded her first album Just As I Am in 1987.[4] In 1990, she signed to Ben Tankard's independent label Tribute Records and released Through The Storm.
Two years later, Adams followed with Save the World, which included her first signature song "The Battle Is The Lord's". Her next release was 1995's More Than A Melody, which featured production work from Ben Tankard, O'Landa Draper, and BeBe Winans. The single "Gotta Have Love," from that album featuring Tony Terry on background vocals, gained mainstream notoriety and was her first single and music video. Yolanda... Live In Washington, released the following year, featured versions of material from her first two albums. The footage from this recording was released as a collection of two videos on VHS initially, and later as a single set on DVD.
Songs from the Heart was her final release for Verity Records and included "Only Believe" which was popular songs on contemporary radio. The album also included "Still I Rise," a dedication to Rosa Parks which was inspired by the Maya Angelou poem of the same name.
"Fragile Heart", was dedicated to the memory of Yolanda's long time road manager who died in 1998. Adams' first significant attention outside the urban contemporary gospel arena came with the release of Mountain High... Valley Low in 1999 on Elektra Records. Several mainstream artists and producers helped in the production of this album including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (Janet Jackson, Boyz II Men), James "Big Jim" Wright (Mariah Carey, Nicole C. Mullen), Warryn Campbell (Mary Mary, Brandy), and Keith Thomas (BeBe & CeCe Winans). The album went Platinum in 2000 and won her a Grammy Award. Notable singles from the album include Yeah", "Fragile Heart", and "Open My Heart".
In 2000, Adams released a Christmas album, and in 2001 she released a live album (The Experience). The Experience netted Adams a second Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. Believe, which included the hit "Never Give Up" was released in 2001. She would later go on to perform this song at "The Salute to Gospel Music" at the White House during President George W. Bush's administration. Believe was certified Gold in 2002. The Divas Of Gospel, with Albertina Walker (queen of gospel), was also released in 2001.
Yolanda recorded a song for the 2003 film, Honey titled "I Believe" that played during the last scene in the final dance.
Adams was also a judge for the 2nd annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.
Back after break;
After nearly four years without releasing an album, Adams returned in 2005 with Day By Day. Although charting higher than Mountain High...Valley Low on the Billboard 100, and Billboard R&B Albums Chart, It didn't get a RIAA certification. The album featured the singles "Be Blessed," "Someone Watching Over You," "This Too Shall Pass", and "Victory" which was prominently featured in the movie The Gospel. After ending her long association with Atlantic Records, They released a greatest hits collection entitled The Best of Me in May 2007. Adams signed with Columbia Records in 2007. Columbia released What a Wonderful Time, her second holiday collection in October 2007. "Hold On" was released as the lead single.
2008-Present;
In 2007 after releasing her holiday album with Columbia, She stated in different interviews that she was currently in the planning stages for a new album. Her official website states that it will be a duets project including possible collaborations with Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Natalie Cole, Trin-i-Tee 5:7, and Mary Mary. In a interview with Commercial Appeal. Adams stated that Chaka Khan, and Shirley Caesar might be on the new project also. In March 2009, she was interview by a FOX station in Houston, where she stated that her women's clothing line and new album is still in progress. The new album is currently untitled, and will be out in the last quarter of the year. She stated that the new album will be full of dance tracks. Adams' may do a secular album in the future.
Adams' song "Hold On" is included in a compilation in support of Barack Obama's campaign entitled 'Yes We Can: Voices of a Grass Roots Movement'.
Adams performed the National Anthem at the 2009 BCS National Championship game between the #1 University of Florida and #2 University of Oklahoma in Dolphin Stadium (Miami, Florida).
Personal life;
In 1997, Yolanda Adams married former NFL player Tim Crawford. The couple divorced in August 2004. They had one daughter, Taylor Ayanna, in 2001. Yolanda served as a spokesperson for the FILA Corporation's Operation Rebound, a program that addressed the concern of inner city schoolchildren. On October 15, 2008, Yolanda Adams' mother Carolyn Jean Adams died.
You Changed My Life
Yolanda Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About this day I pondered
When you just stepped right in
I didn't know what to do
All I knew is I needed you and you rescued me
And you changed my life
Honorin' this union
I love you forever, I'm gonna leave you never
Every day more and more is wonderful who I adore
I'm not the same since you came
(You changed my life)
Love, went into my heart you came, yeah
You came into my life I'm no longer the same
Now that I have you with me all of my life beside me
I'm free indeed you said you never leave me lonely
If I made you my one and only love
Now you are my life
It's in you I live and to you my life I give
You can make me what you want
Full of Glory ('cuz I wanna be)
Every day's a brighter day 'cuz you with me all the way
I'm not the same since you came since you came
Ohhh
You changed my life When into my heart you came you changed my life
Ohhh I'll never be the same
Today is the first day of the rest of my life
To be more of what you want me to be
And I promise to cherish what God has bestowed upon me
Cuz you changed my life
And I'll never be the same
No no no no
(You changed my life)
I'm so glad you decided to bring your whole life to me
So glad you came into my life
(You changed my life)
You came and you changed me You came and you changed honor this union Lord!!!!!
(You changed my life)
I'll never be lonely again.
The lyrics of Yolanda Adams's song, "You Changed My Life," express gratitude to a significant other for bringing joy and meaning into the singer's life. In the beginning of the song, the singer reflects on how the person appeared in her life when she needed them most and rescued her. The lyrics convey that she did not know what to do prior to the person's arrival because she was lost without direction. She saw a positive change in her life and attributes it solely to the person's presence. Furthermore, the lyrics emphasize the importance of the union between the singer and the person, and how it has transformed her for the better. The person brought love and team unity into her life, and she promises to cherish it for the rest of her life. The phrase "you changed my life" is repeated throughout the song to reinforce that message.
Line by Line Meaning
(You changed my life) So many nights I wondered
I spent countless nights wondering when something good will happen until you came and changed everything.
About this day I pondered
I spent a long time thinking about how life could be different and better.
When you just stepped right in
But then you entered my life and everything changed for the better.
I didn't know what to do
I was lost and uncertain before you came and changed everything.
All I knew is I needed you and you rescued me
But I knew that I needed you to help me and you saved me from my troubles.
And you changed my life
You truly transformed my life for the better, and I am forever grateful.
Love, went into my heart you came, yeah
Your love entered my heart and helped change me for the better.
You came into my life I'm no longer the same
Ever since you came into my life, I've been a different and better person.
Now that I have you with me all of my life beside me
Now that you're with me every step of the way, my life is so much better.
I'm free indeed you said you never leave me lonely
With you in my life, I am truly free, and I know that you'll never leave me alone.
If I made you my one and only love
If I make you my one true love, my life will be complete.
Now you are my life
You are now the center of my life, and I couldn't be happier about it.
It's in you I live and to you my life I give
With you, I am able to truly live, and I want to give you everything that I have.
You can make me what you want
I trust you so much that I'm willing to let you shape me into the best version of myself.
Full of Glory ('cuz I wanna be)
I want to be full of glory, and I know that I can achieve it with you by my side.
Every day's a brighter day 'cuz you with me all the way
My days are brighter and more enjoyable now that you're with me every step of the way.
Ohhh I'll never be the same
My life is forever changed for the better now that you're in it.
Today is the first day of the rest of my life
Since you came into my life, I feel like I'm starting a new chapter, and I'm excited about it.
To be more of what you want me to be
I want to be the best version of myself for you, and I'll do whatever it takes to achieve that.
And I promise to cherish what God has bestowed upon me
I'm grateful for what God has given me, and I promise to cherish it forever.
Cuz you changed my life
You truly transformed my life, and I will always be grateful for it.
I'm so glad you decided to bring your whole life to me
I am overjoyed that you decided to share your life with me, and I'll cherish every moment of it.
So glad you came into my life
I'm so glad that you came into my life and changed everything for the better.
You came and you changed honor this union Lord!!!!!
Your arrival transformed everything, and I want to honor and cherish this union forever.
I'll never be lonely again.
With you by my side, I know that I'll never feel lonely again, and my life is better for it.
Writer(s): Ben Lee Tankard, Marquis Hunt Copyright: Bridge Building Music
Contributed by Nora P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.