Adam White was born in Bristol, England. When not drumming for a soul band resident at the city's Bamboo Club, he worked for a record shop whose owner he persuaded to launch a mail-order service for U.K. Motown fans. He later freelanced for NME and Melody Maker, then served at Music Week. In 1978, Adam moved to New York to join Billboard, advancing to international editor, managing editor and editor-in-chief. In 1983, he wrote The Motown Story: The First Twenty-Five Years, a Grammy-nominated album retrospective narrated by Smokey Robinson and Lionel Richie.
Among the artists, songwriters, musicians and businessmen Adam has interviewed are Al Bell, Ahmet Ertegun, Marvin Gaye, Berry Gordy, Holland/Dozier/Holland, Michael Jackson, Jay Lasker, Curtis Mayfield, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Nile Rodgers, Diana Ross, Mickey Stevenson, Henry Stone, Earl Van Dyke, Jerry Wexler, Maurice White, Otis Williams and Stevie Wonder. In 1993, he co-authored (with Fred Bronson) The Billboard Book Of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits. In 2005, his liner notes for Heaven Must Have Sent You: The Holland/Dozier/Holland Story were Grammy-nominated. Adam has scripted, presented and/or appeared in music documentaries on both sides of the Atlantic, including The Motown Invasion for the BBC. At Universal Music, he was vice president of international communications for chairman/CEO Sir Lucian Grainge.
Adam’s work has also appeared in Rolling Stone, Mojo, The New York Post, Black Echoes, Radio & Records, The Independent, The Times and the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry. He was historical consultant for the 2019 film documentary, Hitsville: The Making of Motown, and for 2023’s When Motown Came To Britain.
Adam’s voice can be heard on 1979's “Christmas Rappin’” by Kurtis Blow, the first rap artist signed to a major label. That voice was subsequently sampled by Public Enemy on their breakthrough album, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back. ‘Twas the night…