It would have been hard to imagine in the 1980s when Bryan Adams was first making waves with songs like “Cuts Like a Knife” and “Summer of ’69” that he’d one day be the subject of a PBS Great Performances episode, but time has been kind to Adams, who started out as a pop-rock everyman and has grown into a respected singer-songwriter.
The Canadian Adams first broke out with his third album, Cuts Like a Knife, in 1983, which made him into one of MTV’s early stars, thanks to the video for the title track. Through the rest of the ’80s and into the ’90s, Adams kept racking up hits, including “Run to You,” “Heaven,” “Heat of the Night” and the massive ballads “Everything I Do (I Do It for You)” and “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?” Those last two songs helped Adams become an international star. He’s maintained his success since then, balancing ballads and rockers, contributing music to movies and TV shows and collaborating with artists such as Michael Bublé and Nelly Furtado. His most recent album is 2014’s Tracks of My Years, featuring covers of songs by Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Ray Charles and more, plus one Adams original.
He’s also working on an album of all-new original material, but for now, Adams has plenty of hits to draw from for live shows, such as the one May 16 in Vegas. More than 30 years after his debut, he’s both a rock ’n’ roll veteran and an elder statesman of pop.
Mandalay Bay, 8 p.m. May 16, $39.50-$125 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
