Johnny Adams was born in 1932 and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He absorbed the local music heritage and by his teens joined the Soul Revivers, a popular local gospel quartet. By 1959, Adams was living at a rooming house alongside songwriter Dorothy LaBostrie, who convinced him to sing several lines of a song she had just written. "I Won’t Cry", produced by a 19-year-old Mac Rebennack, became a regional best-seller. Adams continued to have a string of local hits until 1962, when "Losing Battle", a tale of backdoor romance, ascended the national R&B charts, peaking at number 27. Adams was connected with New Orleans label Ric Records, owned by Joe Ruffino. In the fall of 1962, Adams, Smokey Johnson, Joe Jones, Earl King and Chris Kenner traveled to Detroit, where they auditioned for Berry Gordy at Motown. According to Earl King, Gordy was interested in recording Adams, but he received a telegram from Ruffino threatening legal action if he did so. Begrudgingly, Adams continued to record for Ric until Ruffino's death in 1963.
