Stoney Edwards facts for kids

Stoney Edwards was an American country singer. He was one of the first Black singers to become well-known in country music. He is most famous for his song, "She's My Rock." This song was a Top 20 country hit for him. Later, it became a hit for other famous singers like Brenda Lee and George Jones.

Stoney Edwards' Life Story

Early Life and Big Dreams

Stoney Edwards was born Frenchie Edwards on December 24, 1929. He was one of seven children. His father, Rescue Edwards (called "Bub"), was a farmer from North Carolina. His mother was Ollie, known as "Red."

From a young age, Stoney had a big dream. He wanted to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. This is a very famous country music show in Nashville, Tennessee.

A Life-Changing Accident

Stoney moved to the San Francisco area and started a family. He played music in his free time. But in 1968, something happened that changed his life. He was working as a forklift operator in a steel factory. During his job, he got trapped in a tank and became very sick from breathing bad air.

He was very ill for about two years. After he started to get better, Stoney took on different small jobs. He also spent more and more time on his music.

Finding His Voice

Stoney sang in a style called honky tonk. This style was similar to famous singers like Lefty Frizzell and Merle Haggard.

In 1970, Stoney was performing at a special concert in Oakland, California. This concert was to help his hero, Bob Wills. A local lawyer named Ray Sweeney saw Stoney sing. At that time, another Black country singer, Charley Pride, was becoming very successful. So, many record companies were looking for more Black country singers. Just six months after recovering from his accident, Stoney Edwards signed a contract with Capitol Records.

First Songs and Big Hits

Stoney went into the studio to record his first songs. He was backed by a band called Asleep at the Wheel, who were not very famous yet. His first song for Capitol was "A Two Dollar Toy." This song was inspired by a real event. Stoney was having a tough time supporting his family because of his illness. He was thinking about leaving to make things easier for them. But as he was leaving, he stepped on a toy. The sound woke up his daughter, Janice, and it made him change his mind.

Stoney released five albums with Capitol. Two of his songs made it into the Top 20 country hits. Even though he didn't become as famous as Charley Pride, Stoney had many loyal fans.

One of his biggest hits was "She's My Rock," which reached No. 20 in 1973. This song became even more popular later. Brenda Lee recorded it in 1975 as "He's My Rock," and it went to No. 6. Then, George Jones recorded it in 1984, and it became a No. 2 hit! George Jones even invited Stoney to sing the song with him on stage sometimes.

Another popular song by Stoney was "Hank and Lefty Raised My Country Soul." This song was a tribute to Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell. It reached the Top 40 in 1973.

Later Years

By the early 1980s, Stoney's health started to get worse, and his music career slowed down. He passed away on April 5, 1997, from stomach cancer.