Occupation Writer, librettist Role Lyricist | Name Lee Adams Period 1955–present | |
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Notable works Bye Bye BirdieApplause Albums Blow It Up, Burn It Down, Kick It 'Till It Bleeds, Imitation Electric Piano Awards Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics, Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical Books THREE FORKS Family R, A Stranger in Three Forks, The Travel Zapper, High‑performance C Graphics Program, Visualization and virtual reality Similar People Charles Strouse, Michael Stewart, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, William Gibson | ||
Music group Imitation Electric Piano |
Lee adams nobodys fool
Lee Richard Adams (born August 14, 1924) is an American lyricist best known for his musical theatre collaboration with Charles Strouse.
Contents

Lee Adams with Brian Yorkey
Biography
Born in Mansfield, Ohio, Adams is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Leopold Adams and is a graduate of Mansfield Senior High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio State University and a Master's from Columbia University.
Adams won Tony Awards in 1961 for Bye Bye Birdie and in 1970 for Applause and was nominated for a Tony in 1965 for Golden Boy. In addition, he wrote the lyrics for All American, It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, Bring Back Birdie, and A Broadway Musical, and the book and lyrics for Ain't Broadway Grand. Additionally, Charles Strouse and Adams co-wrote "Those Were the Days", the opening theme to the TV situation comedy All in the Family. Adams was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989.
Adams and his wife have lived in Briarcliff Manor, New York since the early 2000s and has a daughter and granddaughter.
Non-musical writing
In addition to his work with lyrics, Adams "had a lifelong fascination with words," which led to his being an editor for the Sunday newspaper magazine supplement This Week and a member of the staff of Pageant magazine.