Born Laten John Adams on January 5, 1932 and raised in the Hollygrove section of uptown New Orleans, Johnny Adams started singing with neighborhood gospel quartets in the late 19405. A neighbor, songwriter Dorothy LaBostrie ("Tutti Frutti,""Rich Woman," "Don't Mess With My Man"), heard him singing around the house and convinced him to record one of her secular compositions, "Oh Why," which was quickly produced by an 18-year-old Mac Rebennack for Ric Records in 1959. Retitled "I Won't Cry," Jo...