Joe Adams

Joe Adams, born Joseph Edward Adams on April 11, 1924, in Los Angeles, was an American actor, disc jockey, businessman, and manager who appeared on Broadway in 1957. He died on July 3, 2018, at the age of 94, having remained married to his wife Emma Millhouse, whom he wed in 1946, until his death. His father was a Jewish businessman and his mother was African-American.

Despite being discouraged from pursuing a career in radio on account of his race, Adams found an indirect path into the industry. He worked as a truck driver before becoming a chauffeur and general assistant to Los Angeles radio personality Al Jarvis, and within six months had risen to the position of assistant producer. He went on to become the first African-American announcer on NBC's radio network, where he handled West Coast jazz remote broadcasts and produced segments of the Monitor program. In 1948, he joined KOWL radio in Santa Monica, California, as a disc jockey and announcer, and a decade later was described in print as the station's top personality and most valuable property.

Also in 1948, Adams became the emcee and stage director for the fourth Cavalcade of Jazz concert, held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles on September 12 and produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. He continued in that role for the annual event for ten more years. Over the course of the series, the Cavalcade featured more than 125 artists, including Dizzy Gillespie, Frankie Lane, Little Miss Cornshucks, The Sweethearts of Rhythm, The Honey Drippers, Joe Turner, Jimmy Witherspoon, The Blenders, and The Sensations. On June 19, 1951, Adams launched his own television program on KTTV in Los Angeles, a show that featured his 15-piece orchestra, vocalist Mauri Lynn, and the Hi Hatters dance team.

In 1954, Adams appeared in the film Carmen Jones, an award-winning film opera with an all-Black cast headed by Best Actress Oscar-nominee Dorothy Dandridge, in which he played the boxer Husky Miller. Three years later, he made his Broadway debut in the musical Jamaica, taking on the role of Joe Nashua. Adams also served as manager to Ray Charles and won a Golden Globe, becoming the first African-American to do so.

Adams received several honors during his career. The Los Angeles City Council designated March 15, 1953, as a day to recognize him, and in 1955 he received FEM magazine's Man of the Year Award. His photographs, scrapbooks, and related materials are preserved in the Joe Adams Papers collection at the Archives Center of the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution.