Terry Adams finds his own voice
Unapologetically Adams: Part 3
Well before Terry Adams’ music became known across the world, his sound formed in dive bars on Cumberland Avenue.
At the time, he transitioned from imitating other artists to putting his own spin on well-known hits.
That sound developed further through songwriting sessions with artists, such as Jeffrey Steele, Wayne Mills, Craig Wiseman, Channing Wilson and Dave Kennedy, among others.
For reference, Wilson has written hits, such as Luke Combs’ “She Got the Best of Me,” while Steele has put together chart-toppers like Rascal Flatts’ “What Hurts the Most,” Tim McGraw’s “The Cowboy in Me” and “My Town” by Montgomery Gentry.
Working alongside those talents, Adams began writing his first record, American Songwriter, which came out in 2024.
And this past January, he released “Country Music,” which features a dozen more tunes ranging from “Dog Bite Town” — an ode to his mother in its description of the Nashville music scene — and Iroc Blue, which details his maturity to adulthood through the lens of his first car.
“This one was intentional,” Adams said. “I knew I wanted a follow-up to the American Songwriter record, and I’m still shocked at how much attention that record got. But there was no rhyme or reason to that one, other than just writing a bunch of songs and putting them in there. There was no expectation for that one. For this, I knew I wanted it to be a very traditional country record. I had this whole list of ideas.”
He partnered with Beaird Music Group out of Nashville for the production process, recording for no more than a week at a time.
The studio engineer then mastered each record, and they were shipped to Adams while also being uploaded to 170 different platforms.
“Some of the stuff, you don’t have a clue,” he said. “The estimation with both records right now is over 5 million streams worldwide.”
What’s next?
As Adams’ reach has grown, so has his appreciation for authenticity in every facet of life.
Where he used to separate his law from his music, he now blends the two during each jam-packed day.
“As a young attorney, I was probably more careful about how I dressed, but as you get older, you become yourself,” he said. “I’ve been wearing cowboy boots since I was old enough to buy my own pair. That was always me. I don’t know that I ever really cared that much about what people thought, either, and I don’t know that I ever did a good job of balancing either one. I kind of just kicked the door open and said, ‘Here I am.’”
Fueled by that approach, he has attacked each day with the same ferocity — only to unwind each night with his wife, Phyllis, and a bottle of wine.
Don’t mistake that small indulgence for any sort of break, though.
Adams may have plenty of accomplishments under his belt so far, but he has plenty more left in the tank, too.
He wants to finish his novel in the next 12 months, and he would like to produce a record every year while continuing to grow his business.
And even those may just be the tip of the iceberg for what lies ahead.
“Maybe even bigger stuff, too,” Adams said with a smile. “In my mind, I’ve just gotten started.”
