The Edge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Edge
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The Edge performing in 2019
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| Birth name | David Howell Evans |
| Born | 8 August 1961 Barking, Essex, England |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
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| Years active | 1976–present |
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David Howell Evans (born on August 8, 1961), known as the Edge, is a famous Irish and British musician. He is the lead guitarist, keyboard player, and backing singer for the rock band U2. He has been with U2 since the very beginning and has helped create 15 studio albums.
The Edge's guitar playing style is unique. It's known for its clear, ringing sounds, and he often uses special effects like delay. He was born in England to Welsh parents and grew up in Ireland. In 1976, he formed a band with his school friends that later became U2. They were inspired by punk rock music. U2 became one of the most successful bands in the world, with popular albums like The Joshua Tree (1987) and Achtung Baby (1991).
Over the years, the Edge has tried out many different guitar effects. He has also brought sounds from various music styles into his playing. Besides guitar, he has played keyboards for U2 and helped produce some of their albums, like Zooropa (1993) and Songs of Surrender (2023).
The Edge is also known for his work helping others. He co-founded Music Rising, a charity that helps musicians get new instruments after disasters. He has worked with U2's lead singer, Bono, on many projects. These include songs for other artists and music for stage shows. As a member of U2, the Edge has won 22 Grammy Awards. He is also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Many music magazines consider him one of the greatest guitarists ever.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
David Howell Evans was born on August 8, 1961, in Barking, England. His parents, Garvin and Gwenda Evans, were from Wales. His father was an engineer. David has an older brother, Richard (called Dik), and a younger sister, Gillian. Around 1962, his family moved to Dublin, Ireland. Growing up, David spoke with both a Welsh accent at home and an Irish accent outside. He said this helped him fit in.
David started learning piano and guitar when he was young. He got his first guitar at age seven. It was a Spanish guitar, and he thought it was "little more than a toy." When he was nine, his mother bought an old acoustic guitar at a jumble sale. He and his brother Dik learned to play it together. The Edge later said they just "plonked away" on it, learning basic chords.
Musical Career with U2
Forming the Band U2
In 1976, while David and his brother Dik were at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin, they saw a notice. Another student, Larry Mullen Jr., had posted it, looking for musicians to start a band. Paul "Bono" Hewson and Adam Clayton also joined. The band changed names a few times before becoming U2 in March 1978. Dik Evans left the band before they became U2.
Early in the band's career, David was given the nickname "the Edge." This nickname might have come from the shape of his head. But some people think it describes his guitar playing style or how he likes to stay "on the edge" of things.
U2's Rise to Fame
U2 started playing in small places in Dublin in 1977. They began touring outside Ireland in 1979 and across the British Isles in 1980. Their first album, Boy, came out in 1980.
In 1981, the Edge almost left U2 for personal reasons. But he decided to stay. Soon after, he wrote music that became the famous song "Sunday Bloody Sunday". The Edge also got his first credit as a producer on U2's 1993 album Zooropa.
In 2024, the Edge helped direct a film called V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film with his wife, Morleigh Steinberg. This film shows U2's concerts at the Sphere in 2023–2024.
Other Music Projects
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Besides U2, the Edge has recorded music with many other artists. These include Johnny Cash, B. B. King, and Tina Turner. He also worked with Michael Brook on the music for the film Captive (1986).
The Edge and Bono have worked together on many projects outside of U2. They wrote music for a stage play called A Clockwork Orange in 1990. They also wrote the theme song for the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, sung by Tina Turner. Later, they created the music and lyrics for the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, which opened in 2011. In 2021, the Edge and Bono worked with DJ Martin Garrix on the song "We Are the People". This song was the official song for the UEFA Euro 2020 soccer tournament.
The Edge wrote the theme song for the TV show The Batman in 2004 and 2005. In 2008, he was in a documentary film called It Might Get Loud. This film looked at the history of the electric guitar and featured the Edge, Jimmy Page, and Jack White. In 2016, the Edge performed in the Sistine Chapel, becoming the first rock artist to do so.
The Edge's Musical Style
How He Plays Guitar
The Edge's guitar playing is known for its clear, ringing sounds and echoing notes. He uses many effects units to create his unique sound. He often plays simple parts that fit the song best. He doesn't try to play super fast or show off. Instead, he focuses on creating a mood and atmosphere with his guitar. He was inspired by guitarists who played in new and different ways.
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A key part of the Edge's sound is his use of a delay pedal. This pedal repeats his notes, making it sound like more than one guitar is playing. He became very good at using effects units. People have called him a "sonic architect" because he is so careful about creating specific sounds. The Edge says he uses effects to help him come up with new song ideas.
The Edge developed his style when he was a teenager. His main guitar was a 1976 Gibson Explorer. He also uses a 1964 Vox AC30 amplifier, which gives his sound a "sparkle." He even uses special guitar picks that he turns sideways to get a unique sound.
His Vocals
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The Edge sings backing vocals for U2. You can hear his singing clearly on live albums like Under a Blood Red Sky. For example, he sings the chorus of "Sunday Bloody Sunday". He often uses a high-pitched voice called a falsetto in songs like "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of".
He also sings the main vocal on a few U2 songs, like "Van Diemen's Land" and "Numb". Sometimes, he sings lead vocals during live shows, like for "Sunday Bloody Sunday" on some tours.
Other Instruments He Plays
The Edge plays many instruments for U2. He plays keyboards on songs like "New Year's Day" and "Original of the Species". In live shows, he sometimes switches between piano and guitar. Even though he is the lead guitarist, he occasionally plays bass guitar. For example, he plays bass during live performances of the song "40", while Adam Clayton plays guitar.
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His instruments include electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, piano, bass guitar, and lap steel guitar.
Personal Life
The Edge grew up as a Protestant. He was involved with a Christian group called the Shalom Fellowship, along with Bono and Larry Mullen Jr.
He married his high school girlfriend, Aislinn O'Sullivan, in 1983. They have three daughters: Hollie, Arran, and Blue Angel. They separated in 1990 and later divorced in 1996. In 1993, he started dating Morleigh Steinberg, a dancer who worked with U2 on their Zoo TV Tour. They have a daughter and a son. The couple got married in Nice, France, in 2002.
In 1992, the Edge and Bono bought and improved the Clarence Hotel in Dublin. The Edge became an Irish citizen in June 2025.
Discography Highlights
The Edge has contributed to many musical projects. Here are some of his notable works outside of U2:
- 1986: Various tracks on the Captive soundtrack.
- 2011: "Rise Above 1" with Reeve Carney and Bono for the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
- 2021: "We Are the People" with Martin Garrix and Bono.
- 2023: "Train with No Station" and "Noche Oscura" for the album Los Angeles.
Helping Others
In 2005, the Edge, along with Bob Ezrin and Henry Juszkiewicz, started Music Rising. This charity helps musicians get new instruments after disasters, like those lost during Hurricane Katrina. The charity's goal is "Rebuilding the Gulf Region note by note." It has helped many musicians and even schools and churches. The Edge also supports the Angiogenesis Foundation, which works to improve health around the world. In 2021, he worked with a charity called Love Welcomes to sell guitar straps made by refugee women. The money from these sales helped support the women.
Awards and Recognition
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The Edge has won many awards with U2. These include 22 Grammy Awards. In 2005, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with U2. In 2007, he received an honorary music degree from Berklee College of Music. In 2017, he received the Les Paul Spirit Award for his innovation in music. In May 2024, the Venice Family Clinic gave him and his wife Morleigh Steinberg the HEART Award for their support.
Many music publications have recognized the Edge as one of the greatest guitarists. In 2010, Gibson ranked him as the 23rd-best guitarist of all time. Rolling Stone magazine has also included him on their list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." They praised him for his unique sound and innovative ideas.
Images for kids
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The Edge performing in 2019
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The Edge performing with U2 in Norway in January 1985
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The Edge performing during the Zoo TV Tour in 1993
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The Edge and bandmate Bono have collaborated musically outside of U2
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The Edge playing his signature guitar, the Gibson Explorer
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The Edge's Vox AC30 amp during a U2 concert
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The Edge singing backing vocals into a headset microphone in 2019 while playing a Rickenbacker
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The Edge playing a Fender Stratocaster in 2019
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The Edge with his wife Morleigh Steinberg, Bono's wife Ali Hewson, and Bill Clinton
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Angiogenesis Foundation co-founder Dr. William W. Li, US Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Censky, and the Edge
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The Edge speaking as U2 receive 2022 Kennedy Center Honors
