Clarence Edwards (blues musician)
| 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 |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | Mid 1950s–1993 |
| Labels | Various |
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". 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.
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, alongside one of his brothers, Cornelius, in the mid-1950s, and later played in the Bluebird Kings. Apart from playing on the local blues circuit, Edwards was shot in his leg during a fracas outside a club in Alsen.
Initially, Edwards found full-time employment on a farm, but later worked for thirty years at Thomas Scrap.Dr. Harry Oster recorded Edwards between 1959 and 1961, with Cornelius, and attendant violin player Butch Cage. By 1970, when he next recorded for Mike Vernon, Edwards had moved from an older styling to a more contemporary approach. Largely unknown until the late 1980s, his localised playing quickly spilled over to the national blues festival circuit.
Swampin' (1991), and Louisiana Swamp Blues, Vol. 4 (1993), showcased the variety of Edwards' work and style, which garnered appreciation in the blues circles. However, in May 1993, he died in Louisiana, at the age of 60.
Following his demise, Edwards' earlier work, Swamps the Word, was remastered and reissued on CD. In 2003 the compilation album, I Looked Down That Railroad was released.
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