Clarence Edwards (blues musician)
Clarence Edwards (March 25, 1933 – May 20, 1993) was an American blues musician from Louisiana, best known for his recordings of "Lonesome Bedroom Blues" and "I Want Somebody".[1] It was not until the late 1980s that Edwards was able to establish his reputation as a blues performer, assisted by his producer and manager Stephen Coleridge.[2]
Clarence Edwards | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 25, 1933 Lindsay, Louisiana, United States |
| Died | May 20, 1993 (aged 60) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States |
| Genres | Swamp blues, Louisiana blues, electric blues |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, singer, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | Mid 1950s–1993 |
| Labels | Various |
Biography
Edwards was born in Lindsay, Louisiana, one of fourteen children, and relocated with his family at the age of twelve to Baton Rouge. He joined the Boogie Beats, a local blues band, along with one of his brothers, Cornelius, in the mid-1950s, and later played in the Bluebird Kings. Edwards was shot in the leg in a fracas outside a club in Alsen.[3]
Initially, Edwards found full-time employment on a farm, but he later worked for thirty years at Thomas Scrap.[3] Dr. Harry Oster recorded Edwards between 1959 and 1961, with Cornelius and the violin player Butch Cage.[2] By 1970, when he next recorded, for the producer Mike Vernon, Edwards had moved from an older styling to a more contemporary approach.[4] He was not widely known until the late 1980s, when he performed on the national blues festival circuit.[3]
Swampin' (1991) and Louisiana Swamp Blues, Vol. 4 (1993) showcased the range of Edwards's style, which gained appreciation among blues aficionados.
Edwards died in May 1993, in Louisiana, at the age of 60.[3]
His earlier work was posthumously remastered and issued on the CD Swamps the Word.[3] The compilation album I Looked Down That Railroad was released in 2003.[4]
Discography
- Swampin', 1991 (New Rose Records)
- Louisiana Swamp Blues, Vol. 4, 1993 (Wolf Records)
- Swamps the Word, 1998 (Blues Factory)
- I Looked Down That Railroad, 2003 (Last Call)[5]
- Baton Rouge Downhome Blues, 2023 (Wolf Records)
References
- Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club 1992–1993". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
- Herzhaft, Gérard (1997). Encyclopedia of the blues (2nd ed.). Fayetteville: The University of Arkansas Press. p. 144. ISBN 1-55728-452-0.
- Huey, Steve. "Clarence Edwards: Biography". AllMusic.com. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
- "Clarence Edwards Biography". Oldies.com. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
- "Clarence Edwards: Discography". AllMusic.com. Retrieved January 26, 2014.