Bahamian music legend Lou Adams Jr. died yesterday at the age of 94.

Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts expressed condolences on behalf of the party to Adams’ family.

“His family remains in our thoughts and prayers as we are certain that God’s grace is sufficient,” Roberts said in a statement yesterday.

“He will be sorely missed as his body of work lives on in the hearts and minds of many devoted fans for generations to come.”

Robert said with Adams’ death comes the end of an era in Bahamian music and cultural development.

Born on Fowler Street in Nassau on September 13, 1922, Mr. Adams was a 65-year veteran of the local music scene, having studied at the then Victoria School and the Eastern Senior on Shirley Street which was headed by Mr. Mansfield, an Englishman, and later prominent educator the late CI Gibson.

His contributions to Bahamian music and cultural development are indelible and sure.

Influenced by big band trumpeter Bill Moore, in the early days, Adams enjoyed this genre of music at local night spots such as The Royal Victoria, Fort Montague, and The British Colonial hotels at their special functions.

Additionally, these bands greatly influenced many local musicians such as Freddie Munnings Sr., exposing them to the sound of big band, jazz, Broadway, and other popular music from the United States and the United Kingdom.

Adams played with the Chocolate Dandies as a youth.

Shortly after the Chocolate Dandies disbanded, Adams went on to work with among other groups, Cleveland Peterson and the Melody Makers, a group in which Levi Gibson played the violin. Lou Adams Band was a staple at Lyford Cay for many years.

In 2004, Adams fondly reflected on his first encounter with Bill Moore on the Eastern Fort who would later offer him music lessons. As the trumpet was Bill Moore’s principal instrument, he impressed upon Adams to take up the trumpet.

“He would take the trumpet and make so many different sounds. Bill made the trumpet cackle like a hen, he made it laugh, and showed great music ability.” recalled Adams.

As an adult, Adams was a suave, well-spoken and sharp-witted gentleman of great talent and tremendous recall, and for much of his life he was without doubt one of the elder statesmen in the music industry in The Bahamas.

May his soul rest in peace.