Patrick Adams, legendary disco producer and songwriter, dies, aged 72

Patrick Adams, the pioneering disco producer who was an unwavering force on the New York dance music scene, has died.

News of the legendary artist and songwriter’s passing was confirmed by his daughter, Joi Sanchez, today (22nd June) who wrote in a Facebook post that Adams died in his sleep. He was 72. 

Sanchez wrote: “He who dubbed me joy at birth, taught me how to live in love, made himself unforgettable in every way to me and to so many others in the world. Patrick Adams has moved on but some of us, like me, will forever be stuck [happily] in what he created for us and by us. My father passed away earlier today at on his sleep at the golden age of 72 after living a life of music. Forever grateful for what I learned from him? Who I became because of who he was.”

Born Patrick Peter Owen Adams on March 17, 1950, in New York City, Adams cut his teeth with Harlem band The Sparks and soon began managing R&B/soul group Black Ivory, after discovering a teenage Leroy Burgess, as well as producing and arranging their debut 1971 album, ‘Don’t Turn Around’, for Today Records/Perception Records.

After leaving Perception/Today Records in 1974, he launched his own production company, PAPMUS (Patrick Adams Productions Music), and spent the ’70s producing for artists including Astrud Gilberto and Debbie Taylor, before jumping on the disco train and steering the troupe Musique – who counted Jocelyn Brown among their members – to commercial success with 1978 track ‘In the Bush’.

He worked on Sister Sledge’s 1974 debut LP ‘Circle of Love’ and scored writing, producing and arranging credits for a number of disco and R&B favourites including Inner Life’s ‘I’m Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair)’ and Fonda Rae’s ‘Touch Me (All Night Long)’, which was remixed by Cathy Dennis in 1991 and went to number two on the pop charts.

Adams also worked with a number of notable hip-hop artists, including Coolio, Keith Sweat, Teddy Riley, Eric B & Rakim, and Salt-N-Pepa, and claimed an impressive 32 gold and platinum records to his name.

The international music community has paid tribute to Adams online. Read some of the tributes, and listen to Inner Life’s ‘I’m Caught Up’ below.

Watch Patrick Adams’ in-depth, career-spanning interview with RBMA from 2015 here.