Tommy Edwards facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tommy Edwards
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Jefferson Edwards |
| Born | October 15, 1922 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | October 23, 1969 (aged 47) Henrico County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, jazz, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1946–1969 |
| Labels | MGM |
Thomas Jefferson Edwards (born October 15, 1922 – died October 23, 1969) was an American singer and songwriter. He is best known for his huge hit song "It's All in the Game". This song sold millions of copies. It also made him the first African-American artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart.
Contents
Tommy Edwards' Music Journey
Early Life and Big Hits
Tommy Edwards was born in Richmond, Virginia. He became a well-known R&B singer. His most famous song, "It's All in the Game", was a massive hit in 1958. It topped the Billboard charts that year.
He even sang his hit song on The Ed Sullivan Show on September 14, 1958. The music for "It's All in the Game" was written way back in 1911 by Charles G. Dawes. He later became a U.S. Vice-President! The lyrics were added in 1951 by Carl Sigman.
Edwards first recorded the song in 1951. It reached No. 18 on the charts then. But the 1958 version became much more popular. It was released by the same record company (MGM). It also featured the same orchestra leader, Leroy Holmes. However, the new version had a different sound. It fit the popular rock and roll style of the time.
Chart Success and Other Songs
"It's All in the Game" was a huge success. It reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also topped the R&B chart and the UK Singles Chart. The song sold over 3.5 million copies around the world. This earned it a special gold disc award in November 1958.
His next big hit was "Please, Mr. Sun" in 1959. This song reached No. 11 on the charts. Another popular song by Edwards was "Love Is All We Need," which got to No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Tommy Edwards also wrote songs for other artists. For example, "That Chick's Too Young to Fry" was a hit for Louis Jordan. Edwards started recording music in 1949. When MGM Records heard his demo, they offered him a recording contract.
Even though he recorded many other songs, none were as big as "It's All in the Game." But some of his songs became hits for other famous singers. These include:
- "A Fool Such as I" by Elvis Presley
- "It's All in the Game" by Cliff Richard and the Four Tops
- "Please Love Me Forever" by Cathy Jean and the Roommates and Bobby Vinton
- "Morning Side of the Mountain" by Donny and Marie Osmond
Later Life and Recognition
Tommy Edwards passed away on October 23, 1969, at the age of 47. He is buried at the Quioccasin Baptist Church Cemetery in Henrico, Virginia.
In 2008, Virginia honored Tommy Edwards with a special highway marker. This marker was placed near Pemberton Elementary School in Henrico County. In July 2008, Richmond mayor L. Douglas Wilder announced October 15, 2008, as "Tommy Edwards Day."
In September 2012, a record label called Shout released a 2-CD collection of his music. It was titled It's All in the Game (The MGM Recordings 1958–1960). This collection included his first four albums and singles from the two years after his biggest hit.
Country Music Album
In 1961, Tommy Edwards did something new. He released an album called Golden Country Hits. This album featured his versions of popular country songs. It was released before Ray Charles' famous Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music album. Edwards' album even included some of the same songs, like "You Don't Know Me." This was a popular song written by country songwriter Cindy Walker.
Partial Discography
Albums
- Tommy Edwards Sings—Regent MG 6096 (Mono only) -- 1958
- It's All in the Game—MGM E (Mono)/SE (Stereo) 3732–1958
- For Young Lovers—MGM E/SE 3670–1959
- You Started Me Dreaming—MGM E/SE 3805–1959
- Tommy Edwards—Lion L 70120 (Mono only) -- 1959
- Tommy Edwards in Hawaii—MGM E/SE 3838–1960
- Stardust—MGM E/SE 4020–1960
- Step Out Singing—MEM E/SE 3822–1960
- Tommy Edwards' Greatest Hits—MGM E/SE 3884–1961
- Tommy Edwards Sings Golden Country Hits—MGM E/SE 3959–1961
- Soft Strings and Two Guitars—MGM E/SE 4060–1962
- The Very Best of Tommy Edwards—MGM E/SE 4141–1963
- Tommy Edwards—Metro M (Mono)/MS (Stereo) 511–1965
Singles
| Year | Single Both sides from same album except where indicated |
Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | U.S. R&B |
UK | |||
| 1951 | "Once There Lived a Fool" b/w "A Friend of Johnny's" |
Non-album singles | |||
| "Gypsy Heart" b/w "Operetta" |
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| "I'll Never Know Why" b/w "A Beggar in Love" |
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| "The Morning Side of the Mountain" b/w "F'r Instance" |
24 | ||||
| "Christmas Is for Children" b/w "Kris Kringle" |
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| "It's All in the Game" | 18 | ||||
| "All Over Again" | 10 | ||||
| 1952 | "Please, Mr. Sun" b/w "I May Live with You" |
22 | |||
| "Forgive Me" b/w "The Bridge" |
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| "My Girl" b/w "Piano, Bass and Drums" |
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| "Easy to Say" b/w "The Greatest Sinner of Them All" |
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| "You Win Again" b/w "Sinner and Saint" (non-album track) |
13 | It's All in the Game | |||
| 1953 | "Now and Then, There's a Fool Such as I" b/w "I Can't Love Another" (non-album track) |
24 | |||
| "Au Revoir" b/w "I Lived When I Met You" |
Non-album singles | ||||
| "Take These Chains from My Heart" b/w "Paging Mr. Jackson" |
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| "Baby, Baby, Baby" b/w "Lover's Waltz" |
26 | ||||
| "So Little Time" b/w "Blue Bird" |
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| "Every Day Is Christmas" b/w "It's Christmas Once Again" |
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| 1954 | "Secret Love" b/w "That's All" (from It's All in the Game) |
28 | |||
| "There Was a Time" b/w "Wall of Ice" (from Tommy Edwards) |
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| "The Joker (In the Card Game of Life)" b/w "Within My Heart" |
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| "Linger in My Arms" b/w "If You Would Love Me Again" |
Tommy Edwards | ||||
| "You Walk By" b/w "I Have That Kind of Heart" |
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| 1955 | "Serenade to a Fool" b/w "It Could Have Been Me" |
Non-album single | |||
| "Welcome to My Heart" b/w "Spring Never Came Around This Year" (non-album track) |
Tommy Edwards | ||||
| "Teardrop on a Rose" b/w "To Those Who Wait" |
Non-album single | ||||
| "Baby, Let Me Take You Dreaming" b/w "My Sweetheart" (non-album track) |
Tommy Edwards | ||||
| 1956 | "Love Is a Child" b/w "There Must Be a Way to Your Heart" (non-album track) |
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| "The Day That I Lost You" b/w "My Ship" (from Tommy Edwards) |
Non-album single | ||||
| 1957 | "We're Not Children Anymore" b/w "Any Place, Any Time" (non-album track) |
Tommy Edwards | |||
| 1958 | "It's All in the Game" (new version) / | 1 | 1 | 1 | It's All in the Game |
| "Please Love Me Forever" | 61 | ||||
| "Love Is All We Need" b/w "Mr. Music Man" |
15 | ||||
| 1959 | "Please, Mr. Sun" (new version) / | 11 | 18 | ||
| "The Morning Side of the Mountain" (new version) | 27 | ||||
| "My Melancholy Baby" / | 26 | 27 | 29 | For Young Lovers | |
| "It's Only the Good Times" | 86 | ||||
| "I've Been There" / | 53 | Tommy Edwards' Greatest Hits | |||
| "I Looked at Heaven" | 100 | For Young Lovers | |||
| "(New In) The Ways of Love" / | 47 | Tommy Edwards' Greatest Hits | |||
| "Honestly and Truly" | 65 | Non-album single | |||
| 1960 | "Don't Fence Me In" b/w "I'm Building Castles Again" (from You Started Me Dreaming) |
45 | Tommy Edwards' Greatest Hits | ||
| "I Really Don't Want to Know" b/w "Unloved" |
18 | ||||
| "It's Not the End of Everything" b/w "Blue Heartaches" |
78 | ||||
| "Suzie Wong" b/w "As You Desire Me" |
Stardust | ||||
| 1961 | "Vaya Con Dios" b/w "One and Twenty" |
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| "The Golden Chain" b/w "That's the Way with Love" |
Non-album single | ||||
| "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" b/w "My Heart Would Know" |
Tommy Edwards Sings Golden Country Hits | ||||
| 1962 | "I'll Cry You Out of My Heart" b/w "Tables Are Turning" (non-album track) |
Stardust | |||
| "Please Don't Tell Me" b/w "Tonight I Won't Be There" |
Non-album singles | ||||
| 1963 | "May I" b/w "Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Lose" |
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| "Country Boy" b/w "Love Is Best of All" |
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| 1964 | "Leftover Dreams" b/w "9 Chances Out of 10" |
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| 1965 | "Take These Chains from My Heart" b/w "You Win Again" |
The Very Best of Tommy Edwards | |||
| 1966 | "I Must Be Doing Something Wrong" b/w "I Cried, I Cried" |
Non-album single | |||
Television Appearances
Tommy Edwards appeared on several TV shows during his career:
- Sing It Again (1951)
- Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall (1951–1952)
- Songs for Sale (1952)
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1958)
- The Arthur Murray Party (1958)
See also
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
- List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart
- List of deaths in rock and roll
- List of number-one rhythm and blues hits (United States)
