Departures of note

Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Adams came to NPR in the mid-1970s after a string of jobs that included construction work and selling cars. He began at the University of Kentucky's public radio station in 1972 and joined All Things Considered as a production assistant three years later. He hosted the program for 18 years, guiding listeners through events such as Ronald Reagan's electoral victories, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the September 11 attacks, while becoming known for his soft voice and vivid, observational feature reporting. He also hosted the Minnesota Public Radio variety show Good Evening, wrote several books including Piano Lessons and The Flyers, and his documentary Father Cares: The Last of Jonestown earned the Prix Italia and the duPont-Columbia Award.