Disco and R&B pioneer Patrick Adams dies at age 72

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    Photo courtesy of Patrick Adams Facebook

    (June 22, 2022) A generation (or two) of music fans danced the night away to his work, which never ceased to get us sweating. Today we say a sad goodbye to iconic songwriter, producer and arranger Patrick Adams, who has reportedly died at age 72, causes undisclosed.

    New York native Adams was an everpresent personality in the soul and disco scenes of the 70s. He began playing with an NYC band called The Sparks, but developed into one of the top East Coast music makers, working on smash hits with the likes of Sister Sledge, Musique, Loleatta Holloway, Eddie Kendricks, Gladys Knight and Black Ivory, a group that Adams also managed. In the 80s, his engineering skills move to the front on projects like Keith Sweat’s Make It Last Forever and early rap hit albums of Salt-N-Pepa and Eric B & Rakim.

    (June 22, 2022) A generation (or two) of music fans danced the night away to his work, which never ceased to get us sweating. Today we say a sad goodbye to iconic songwriter, producer and arranger Patrick Adams, who has reportedly died at age 72, causes undisclosed.

    New York native Adams was an everpresent personality in the soul and disco scenes of the 70s. He began playing with an NYC band called The Sparks, but developed into one of the top East Coast music makers, working on smash hits with the likes of Sister Sledge, Musique, Loleatta Holloway, Eddie Kendricks, Gladys Knight and Black Ivory, a group that Adams also managed. In the 80s, his engineering skills move to the front on projects like Keith Sweat’s Make It Last Forever and early rap hit albums of Salt-N-Pepa and Eric B & Rakim.

    Adams’ prolific career has been honored over the past decade with awards as well as a 2017 all-star tribute in New York. This is a huge loss of a musical savant who didn't have a high public profile, but who was revered by his peers for both his knowledge and his creativity.

    By Chris Rizik