Born in NY state and raised in Northern California, Adam was introduced to music via Suzuki Violin training at the age of nine. Adam's older brother Evan, also, had a keen interest in music and played the guitar, eventually teaching Adam enough rudiments on that instrument to keep his interest growing.
Adam's high school years were a pivotal time in his musical development, when he was exposed to Bluegrass Music and took up the mandolin. As a young adult he spent most of his spare time seeking out recordings and attending concerts and jam sessions; expanding his knowledge and vocabulary of
southern Appalachian vocal harmonies, and continuing to improve his guitar, fiddle and mandolin skills.

By the time Adam reached the age of 21, he had begun to branch out beyond traditional music and found a new way of expressing himself: by playing electric guitar and composing original Rock and Roll based music. In 1983, Adam relocated to Southern California and helped to form what was to become a seminal electronic/rock fusion band, Grotus. The band played up and down the west coast, building a fan base and eventually putting out two records on the "Alternative Tentacles" label owned by famed Dead Kennedys front man and political activist Jello Biafra. In the early 1990s, Grotus landed a recording contract with London/Polygram records (USA). Adam and the band continued to tour, sharing the stage with the likes of Nine inch Nails, Swiss industrial rockers The Young Gods, New Jersey rockers Monster Magnet, and influencing and touring with Korn. The mainstream music business was a hard road and after eight years of touring the US and Europe, Grotus disbanded.

In the years to follow the break up of the band, Adam refocused his energy on acoustic American roots music and dove head first into studying and playing pre-Bluegrass southern Appalachian string music.

In 2000, Adam relocated to Western North Carolina, to be closer to the geographical origin of his revitalized musical passions. During his early years in Western NC, Adam sought out older masters of the appalachian traditions.
Visits with older musicians such as Joe Thompson, Charlie Acuff, and Clyde Davenport provided a chance to learn the music from it's source, a much more rewarding experience than just learning from recordings.

In 2003, Adam joined the Crooked Jades, a California based progressive acoustic band with roots in pre-war southern styles. During the next three years, the band, with Adam on fiddle, mandolin and acoustic lap guitar, released a cd entitled "Worlds on Fire," and toured folk festivals and clubs throughout the US, UK and Germany. Throughout this time Adam discovered and began to explore connections between pre-war African-American music and early anglo string band music. This research resulted in the development of a unique repertoire that crosses racial barriers. Adam cultivated his instrumental and vocal skills to present a personal and fresh interpretation of this music to a modern audience.

As of December 2006, Adam parted ways with the Crooked Jades to embark on a solo career focusing on early country blues vocal and instrumental styles. He recently completed work on a new cd entitled "Sure as You're Born".

In June 2007, Adam was called upon to fill in for Kip Beacco with the Hunger Mountain Boys playing a variety of dates in the U.S. and U.K.. He currently sings, fiddles, plays mandolin and guitar as a fourth member of the band. Adam is currently available for recording and performance work and prefers to make music in an American traditional music or American roots influenced original music setting.

Adam Tanner
350 Sheppard Branch Rd.
Weaverville, NC 28787
(828)582-1066
e-mail