Black History Month Music: Stoney Edwards

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Only in one of my crazy countdowns can you go from a pioneer in “hard bop,” “west coast” jazz to authentic country music. Poor Linda thought she was safe this month, celebrating Black History Month, without country music. Oh no. Stoney Edwards Or, the black guy in country music you haven’t heard of. We didn’t have video back then, just Hee Haw, so who knew this guy was black? Stoney Edwards had a rough life. In 1968 he was nearly killed in an industrial accident, which left him permanently disabled. So, at the tender age of 38, he decided to pursue a career in country music. That came along at the right time. You know how record companies were signing everyone out of England who had a guitar after the Beatles hit? Well, Charley Pride made being a black country singer “cool,” so record labels were (subtly) looking for African-Americans who sang country music. Linda Martell (not featured this month, sorry) was signed and became the first black woman to ever perform on the Grand Ole Opry. Capitol Records signed Edwards to a record deal, but don’t think his skin color had anything to do with his popularity. That man could sing country music. He just happened to be black. He had a few hits, most notably, “She’s My Rock,” which was later covered by a fan of Edwards’, George Jones. (Jones would have him onstage and then leave the stage to let Edwards entertain the audience.) By the late 70s, traditional country music was swept under the Urban Cowboy rug, and Edwards faded into the background. He suffered from a number of ailments, including diabetes, an accidental gunshot wound that cost him a leg, and a bout of lung cancer that may have been related to his industrial accident in the 60s. He refused to take disability, though. Eventually, when stomach cancer took his life in 1997, he was so forgotten that he didn’t even get a newspaper obituary. I remember his music, not because he was black, but because he was good. Stoney Edwards Born Frenchie Edwards, December 24, 1929, Seminole, Oklahoma Died April 5, 1997, Achille, Oklahoma (stomach cancer) (age 67) Stoney singing the praises of two legends in “Hank and Lefty Raised My Country Soul” (Linda? NO!!!!!!!):