After decades working behind the curtain of the country music industry, helping bring more than fifty No. 1 songs to life, Lee Adams is stepping into the spotlight with her debut novel, Love on Tour. Drawing from her years on the road, her deep respect for the unsung heroes of the business, and her journey as an adoptive mom and living organ donor, Adams has crafted a story that blends romance, resilience, and a raw look at the realities of fame. In this exclusive Q&A, she opens up about the inspiration behind the book, why she chose to tackle cyberbullying, and what she hopes women take away from Christine’s emotional journey.
Nashville Noise: Let’s start with the spark. What inspired you to write Love on Tour? Was there a specific moment or idea that planted the seed for the story?
Lee Adams: I tried to write a book about a girl in country music when I was 12, so it’s been decades in the making. As for Love On Tour, having worked behind the scenes in the industry for so many years, I have a deep appreciation for the people who work diligently so the singer succeeds in all facets of their career. From the label to management, from publicity to social media, from promotion to the touring crew, we aren’t doing it for applause or adoration but because we believe in the artist and their talent. I wanted to acknowledge that, while also having a main character be a singer, as they bring the excitement and levity. Watching the increasing amount of cyberbullying and online body shaming gave me the idea of having a main female character experience it.
NN: You’ve spent decades in the country music industry and helped bring more than fifty No. 1 songs to life. How did your behind-the-scenes knowledge shape the characters or storyline of Love on Tour?
LA: My career has been in radio and as a record label promotions rep. The two go hand in hand as the label rep is who contacts the radio programmers to play their music. But the record rep also goes on tour with the artist, being the liaison between the radio team and the artist. Our job is to make sure radio personnel have tickets, meet and greet passes, interviews, and get to spend time with the artist. The artist’s tour manager is our lifeline. If we need help setting something up last-minute, or need extra tickets or pit passes, it’s the tour manager we rely on. A good tour manager will make sure we have a safe place to park, enough tickets for our radio partners, etc. I’ve worked with some of the best in the business and without them, my job on the road would have been impossible. The ones who treat you as a member of the team, and not an outsider, are priceless. I wanted to honor their hard work for the artist, the crew, and for the many promo reps. One of the two main male characters is a tour manager. They keep the wheels turning. And for Christine, most people don’t even realize the job of a song plugger exists. Especially in the country music industry, where we have a highly talented group of songwriters who aren’t artists, it takes someone bringing their songs to the attention of artists. Many songs would never be heard if not for the song pluggers who work them.
NN: Christine, your protagonist, works in the music industry like you do. How much of her story or personality is drawn from your own life or observations?
LA: I’ve always heard the phrase, “write what you know.” At least in the beginning of your writing career. I’m an introvert, and so is Christine, the main female character. Some of her struggles being in an extroverted industry, when it goes against her nature, come from my experiences. And as I stated above, my respect for tour managers and people who work in the background comes from my experience and observation. The book as a whole is fictional. The bullying events that happened to Christine didn’t happen to me, but I’ve heard similar stories. I drew from my knowledge of the industry but made up the characters and events. Although I snuck in a few things that have happened to me over the years. For instance, at one point Austin asks Christine who her favorite singer is, and she says Willie Nelson. Austin grabs his guitar and starts playing Willie songs. Gary Allan did that for me when we were on his radio tour. It’s a memory I’ll always remember, me driving the car down the highway while Gary plays and sings Willie songs.
NN: One of the story’s most powerful arcs is the online bullying and body shaming Christine faces. What made you want to explore that theme, and how important was it to you to portray it honestly?
LA: My generation didn’t have to worry about such things. We were bullied or made fun of in front of our peers, but it rarely reached past our school or community. Now, people, and especially teens, are being bullied in a way that can go viral or be shared and spread with thousands of people. And what our actors/singers/entertainers experience is on a level most never saw coming. It’s painful to watch. And the idea that anyone, especially teenagers, have the ability to be perfect at all times, never saying or looking or doing anything wrong is absurd. Humans need grace, especially those going through the painful process of maturing and discovering who they are. I wanted to address it and the pain it causes, the fear it can lead to and also the dangers. Having not experienced it in the cyber world, I had others read through it to make sure it was an honest portrayal. For Christine, the teenage bullying she’d experienced was now happening, more than a decade later, on a grander scale.
NN: Romance is at the heart of this book, but there’s also suspense, personal growth, and some tough emotional moments. What was the most challenging part of writing Love on Tour?
LA: The most difficult part was editing. It’s always the hardest part for me. I write a story and want to move on. I wrote this ten years ago. I’m not trained in writing. My degree is in Communications. I’ve had half a dozen editors over those ten years work on this story so those parts you mentioned; suspense, personal growth, emotional moments, were conveyed correctly. Editors are amazing. Again, behind the scenes, yet they sometimes knew what my character would do better than I did. I wanted depth to the book as well as fun, flirty romance. Life is like that. Romance is fun, but life is messy.
NN: You’re not only an author and a music executive. You’re also a living organ donor, an adoptive mom, and someone who’s worn many hats in life. Did any of those personal experiences shape the emotional layers of your characters or story?
LA: I’m not an overly emotional person so I do have to draw on emotions and events from others to fully create characters. But I’d say the two biggest events that impacted me as a person are becoming a “mom” to a teenager when I was in my 50s after never having children. It’s been a blessing beyond words. And when I donated my kidney to my brother-in-law in 2007. I didn’t realize what an impact it would have on so many facets of my life. I’ve been a “donor buddy” to other living donors. I’ve spoken about it at events and retreats. I’ve done fundraisers for various organ/kidney foundations. I’ll most likely always have a character be an organ donor. I don’t know if they shaped my characters, but they shaped me, and since I wrote it, I’m sure it had an effect.
NN: Some incredible artists have helped promote the book. What has it been like seeing your peers in the music industry support this endeavor?
LA: Everyone’s been wonderful. Artists and co-workers see their dreams come true and want to help someone else recognize theirs. As well, the book-writing and author community has been amazing. It’s similar to the singers in Nashville and how they lift each other up and help one another succeed. I’m finding authors are the same way, and I’ve made some friends in that community, which has been fun. I’m so entrenched in the music industry that I haven’t had a chance to explore others, so I’m enjoying it. I’ve also joined the Communications/Journalism Advisory Board for my alma mater, Shippensburg University. I’ve always loved academia, and it’s been refreshing being a part of shaping the curriculum for this college generation. Seeing their passion for the industry reminds me of my excitement at that age.
NN: What do you hope readers take away from Love on Tour, especially women who might see themselves in Christine’s journey?
LA: My goal is to entertain people and offer escapism. With Love On Tour, I also wanted to have readers be a part of an industry that not everyone gets to experience. The most important people in the entertainment business are the fans. Without them, art goes nowhere. But rarely do fans get a glimpse of how it works. For women and Christine’s journey, I want people to feel worthy. So what if you don’t have the thinnest thighs. You’re worthy. So what if you aren’t everyone’s ideal perfect body type, you’re worthy. It’s human nature to compare ourselves to others. There will always be someone you can compare yourself to and, in your own eyes, come up short. We don’t have to compare ourselves to determine our worth. Everyone is deserving of love and a fulfilling life.
NN: This is your debut novel. Any advice for other women (especially those with a full-time career) who are thinking about finally writing that book they’ve been dreaming of?
LA: Start writing. It starts with page one, and you don’t stop until it ends. If you hit writer’s block, write anything until you get back on track. You can go back and edit. Thinking about writing versus writing are two very different things. Marathon runners don’t start with 20+ miles. They start with one.
NN: Last one, if Love on Tour had a theme song, what would it be?
LA: Christine is a big fan of Willie Nelson, and the book is about being on tour. So the obvious choice to me is “On The Road Again.”
