Nokie Edwards

Nokie Edwards
Edwards in 2009 in Nashville at the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society.
Background information
Birth name	Nole Floyd Edwards
Born	(1935-05-09) May 9, 1935 (age 81) Lahoma, Oklahoma
Genres	Instrumental rock, surf rock
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Guitar, bass guitar, Sitar
Years active	1958–
Associated acts	The Ventures

Nole Floyd "Nokie" Edwards (born May 9, 1935) is an American musician and member of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is primarily a guitarist, best known for his work with The Ventures. Edwards is also an actor, who appeared briefly on Deadwood, an American Western drama television series.

Edwards was born in Lahoma, Oklahoma, the son of Elbert and Nannie, a Native American Cherokee. Edwards came from a family of accomplished musicians, so that by age five he began playing a variety of string instruments including the steel guitar, banjo, mandolin, violin, and bass. His family relocated from Oklahoma to Puyallup, Washington.

During Edwards' late teen years he joined the Army Reserves. After traveling to Texas and California for training, he returned home and began playing regularly for pay in numerous country bands in the area.

In January 1958, country songwriter and guitarist Buck Owens relocated from California to Tacoma, Washington, as owner of the KAYE radio station. Prior to the formation of The Buckaroos with Don Rich, Edwards played guitar with Owens with the new band he formed in the area and also in the house band on KTNT television station in the same building. In 1960 Edwards recorded a single, Night Run b/w Scratch on Blue Horizon Records with a band called The Marksmen.