A seventh-generation ballad singer, storyteller, and musician, Sheila Kay Adams was born and raised in the Sodom Laurel community of Madison County, North Carolina, an area renowned for its unbroken tradition of unaccompanied ballad singing dating back to the early Scottish, Scots/Irish and English settlers in the mid-17th century.

In September, 2013, she received the nation’s highest award for the arts, The National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship Award which recognizes folk and traditional artists for their artistic excellence and efforts to conserve America's culture for future generations. In 2016, Sheila received the North Carolina Heritage Award, the state’s highest award for the arts.

And, more recently, Sheila was recognized as a 2026 United States Artist Fellow.

Sheila is also the author of two books, has released several acclaimed recordings, and has served as a singing coach and advisor for multiple film projects including Last of the Mohicans and Songcatcher. Through her performances, teaching, and advocacy, she continues to inspire a new generation to carry forward the songs and stories of Southern Appalachia.

Sheila has been featured at the Brooklyn Folk Festival, Newport Folk, Folk Alliance International, the International Storytelling Festival, Smithsonian, and more.