Tommy Edwards
Encyclopedia
Tommy Edwards was a singer
and songwriter
. His biggest-selling record
was with the multi-million-selling song, "It's All in the Game."
, Virginia
, Edwards was an R&B
singer most remembered for his 1958, Billboard No. 1, "It's All in the Game." He sang his hit
song
on The Ed Sullivan Show
, on 14 September 1958. The song was composed
by the then-future U.S. Vice-President
, Charles G. Dawes
in 1912, as "Melody in A Major
," with lyrics
written
in 1951 by Carl Sigman
. Edwards originally recorded and charted the song in 1951, but it only climbed to # 18 on the chart
. The better-known 1958 version was on the same record label (MGM
) and backed by the same orchestra
leader
(Leroy Holmes
), but with a different arrangement
more suited to the rock and roll
-influenced style of the time. As well as topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
, the song also got to number one on the R&B chart, and in the UK Singles Chart
. The single
sold over 3.5 million copies globally, earning gold disc
status. The gold disc was presented in November 1958. He had a more modest hit with the follow-up, "Love is All We Need," which climbed to #15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Edwards began performing in Richmond when he was nine. He made his first impact in R&B
circles in 1946, writing "That Chick's Too Young to Fry." It was a sizeable hit for Louis Jordan
. Edwards began recording for the Top label
in 1949, and had his first hit
in 1951 with "All Over Again" for MGM, a song that made it to number ten on the U.S.
R&B
chart
. When MGM heard his demo
of it they gave him a recording contract
. Edwards later had another hit with a reworked song he had released in 1952, as "Please Mr. Sun" reached number 18 R&B and number 11 pop
chart. His last chart tune was "My Melancholy Baby" in 1959.
Although Edwards recorded
a number of other songs, none came close to achieving the same level of success, though several of his songs later became hits for other artists
(such as "A Fool Such As I
" by Elvis Presley
, "It's All in the Game" by Cliff Richard
and The Four Tops, and "Morning Side of the Mountain
" recorded by Donny
and Marie Osmond
).
He died after suffering a brain aneurysm
in Henrico County
, Virginia, at the age of 47. The liner notes
of his 1994 Eric Records release The Complete Hits of Tommy Edwards claim his death
was caused by alcoholism
. While the two may be related, there is no confirmation of this.
Edwards received a Virginia Highway Marker in 2008, erected near Pemberton Elementary School, off Quioccasin Road, in Henrico County. In July 2008, Richmond mayor L. Douglas Wilder signed a proclamation declaring 15 October 2008 "Tommy Edwards Day."
in mono
, because the original stereo
master tape was either lost or destroyed.
The recording "Take These Chains From My Heart
" is heard on compact disc in re-channeled stereo, because, as with the above song, the original stereo master was lost or destroyed.
These recordings were issued on the MGM
record label
, unless otherwise noted.
"It's All In The Game" (1958 version) was produced
by Harry Myerson. He is assumed to be the producer for all tracks from this point forward, although this can not be confirmed.
The orchestra
was conducted
and the arrangement
s were made on all records
by LeRoy Holmes
.
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. His biggest-selling record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
was with the multi-million-selling song, "It's All in the Game."
Career
Born Thomas Edwards in RichmondRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Edwards was an R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
singer most remembered for his 1958, Billboard No. 1, "It's All in the Game." He sang his hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, on 14 September 1958. The song was composed
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
by the then-future U.S. Vice-President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
, Charles G. Dawes
Charles G. Dawes
Charles Gates Dawes was an American banker and politician who was the 30th Vice President of the United States . For his work on the Dawes Plan for World War I reparations he was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served in the First World War, was U.S...
in 1912, as "Melody in A Major
A major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
," with lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
written
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
in 1951 by Carl Sigman
Carl Sigman
Carl Sigman was an American songwriter.-Biography:Born in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, Sigman graduated from law school and passed his Bar exams to practice in the state of New York...
. Edwards originally recorded and charted the song in 1951, but it only climbed to # 18 on the chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. The better-known 1958 version was on the same record label (MGM
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
) and backed by the same orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
leader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
(Leroy Holmes
LeRoy Holmes
LeRoy Holmes was an American songwriter, composer, arranger and conductor....
), but with a different arrangement
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
more suited to the rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
-influenced style of the time. As well as topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, the song also got to number one on the R&B chart, and in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
sold over 3.5 million copies globally, earning gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
status. The gold disc was presented in November 1958. He had a more modest hit with the follow-up, "Love is All We Need," which climbed to #15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Edwards began performing in Richmond when he was nine. He made his first impact in R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
circles in 1946, writing "That Chick's Too Young to Fry." It was a sizeable hit for Louis Jordan
Louis Jordan
Louis Thomas Jordan was a pioneering American jazz, blues and rhythm & blues musician, songwriter and bandleader who enjoyed his greatest popularity from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "The King of the Jukebox", Jordan was highly popular with both black and white audiences in the...
. Edwards began recording for the Top label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
in 1949, and had his first hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
in 1951 with "All Over Again" for MGM, a song that made it to number ten on the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. When MGM heard his demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of it they gave him a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
. Edwards later had another hit with a reworked song he had released in 1952, as "Please Mr. Sun" reached number 18 R&B and number 11 pop
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. His last chart tune was "My Melancholy Baby" in 1959.
Although Edwards recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
a number of other songs, none came close to achieving the same level of success, though several of his songs later became hits for other artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
(such as "A Fool Such As I
(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I
" A Fool Such as I" is a popular song written by Bill Trader and was published in 1952. Performed by Hank Snow it peaked at number four on the country charts early in 1953....
" by Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, "It's All in the Game" by Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
and The Four Tops, and "Morning Side of the Mountain
Morning Side of the Mountain
"Morning Side of the Mountain" is a song written by Larry Lawrence Stock and Dick Manning and first recorded in 1951 by Tommy Edwards. The song hit number twenty-four on the pop chart...
" recorded by Donny
Donny Osmond
Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond is an American singer, musician, actor, dancer, radio personality, and former teen idol. Osmond has also been a talk and game show host, record producer and author. In the mid 1960s, he and four of his elder brothers gained fame as the Osmond Brothers on the long...
and Marie Osmond
Marie Osmond
Olive Marie Osmond is an American singer, actress, doll designer, and a member of the show business family The Osmonds. Although she was never part of her family's singing group, she gained success as a solo country music artist in the 1970s and 1980s...
).
He died after suffering a brain aneurysm
Cerebral aneurysm
A cerebral or brain aneurysm is a cerebrovascular disorder in which weakness in the wall of a cerebral artery or vein causes a localized dilation or ballooning of the blood vessel.- Signs and symptoms :...
in Henrico County
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Virginia, at the age of 47. The liner notes
Liner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
of his 1994 Eric Records release The Complete Hits of Tommy Edwards claim his death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
was caused by alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
. While the two may be related, there is no confirmation of this.
Edwards received a Virginia Highway Marker in 2008, erected near Pemberton Elementary School, off Quioccasin Road, in Henrico County. In July 2008, Richmond mayor L. Douglas Wilder signed a proclamation declaring 15 October 2008 "Tommy Edwards Day."
Hit Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
U.S. R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||
| 1951 | "The Morning Side of the Mountain Morning Side of the Mountain "Morning Side of the Mountain" is a song written by Larry Lawrence Stock and Dick Manning and first recorded in 1951 by Tommy Edwards. The song hit number twenty-four on the pop chart... " |
24 | ||
| "It's All in the Game" | 18 | |||
| "All Over Again" | 10 | |||
| 1952 | "Please, Mr. Sun" | 22 | ||
| "You Win Again" | 13 | |||
| 1953 | "A Fool Such As I" | 24 | ||
| "Baby, Baby, Baby" | 26 | |||
| 1954 | "Secret Love" | 28 | ||
| 1958 | "It's All in the Game"(new version) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| "Please Love Me Forever" | 61 | |||
| "Love Is All We Need" | 15 | |||
| 1959 | "Please, Mr. Sun"(new version) | 11 | 18 | |
| "The Morning Side of the Mountain"(new version) | 27 | |||
| "My Melancholy Baby" | 26 | 27 | 29 | |
| "It's Only the Good Times" | 86 | |||
| "I've Been There" | 53 | |||
| "I Looked At Heaven" | 100 | |||
| "(New In) The Ways of Love" | 47 | |||
| "Honestly and Truly" | 65 | |||
| 1960 | "Don't Fence Me In Don't Fence Me In Don't Fence Me In is the fifth episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Friday 23 October 1970.-Synopsis:... " |
45 | ||
| "I Really Don't Want To Know" | 18 | |||
| "It's Not the End of Everything" | 78 | |||
Albums
- It's All In The Game Tommy Edwards MGM E 3732
- The Very Best of Tommy Edwards (1963, Cat. No. E/SE 4141)
- Tommy Edwards in Hawaii (1960, Cat. No. E/SE 3838)
- Tommy Edwards (Lion Records of CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Cat. No. L 70120) - For Young Lovers (1959, Cat. No. E/SE 3670)
- Tommy Edwards' Greatest Hits (1961, Cat No. E/SE 3884)
- Tommy Edwards Sings (Regent MG 6069)
Production notes
The recording "Honestly and Truly" is only heard on compact discCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in mono
Monaural
Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
, because the original stereo
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
master tape was either lost or destroyed.
The recording "Take These Chains From My Heart
Take These Chains from My Heart
"Take These Chains from My Heart" is a 1953 single by Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys, written by Fred Rose and Hy Heath. The song was the last of Hank Williams' country number-one hits. The song reached Number One on the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart.Cover versions of...
" is heard on compact disc in re-channeled stereo, because, as with the above song, the original stereo master was lost or destroyed.
These recordings were issued on the MGM
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, unless otherwise noted.
"It's All In The Game" (1958 version) was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Harry Myerson. He is assumed to be the producer for all tracks from this point forward, although this can not be confirmed.
The orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
was conducted
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and the arrangement
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
s were made on all records
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
by LeRoy Holmes
LeRoy Holmes
LeRoy Holmes was an American songwriter, composer, arranger and conductor....
.
See also
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
- List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart
- List of deaths in rock and roll
- List of number-one rhythm and blues hits (United States)