Frank Edwards

(1908-1967)

Journalist, broadcaster, and author who publicized anomalous mysteries, bizarre events, and flying saucers (UFOs). Born August 4, 1908, in Mattoon, Illinois, Edwards became a golf professional and then a technical adviser in a shipyard before beginning a radio career with KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1924. Starting in 1925 he worked for WHAS and WLAP in Louisville, Kentucky. He was a news analyst for the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1942 to 1952. Between 1949 and 1954 he was a White House correspondent. From 1955 to 1959 and from 1961 to 1962 he was a commentator for WTTV in Indianapolis; from 1964, for WXLW; and from 1965, for WLWI-TV. He subsequently lectured at Butler University on broadcast journalism.

In the Radio Daily poll of 1953, he was cited, along with Edward R. Murrow and Lowell Thomas, as one of the nation's top broadcasters. His "Strange to Relate" column was widely syndicated throughout the world, and he was a contributing editor to Fate magazine for a decade beginning in 1957. He was also a member of the Board of Governors of NICAP (National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena) from 1957 until his death on June 23, 1967.

Edwards is most remembered for the many popular books in which he compiled brief accounts of extraordinary and paranormal events. Beginning with Strange World in 1954, he produced a series of popular books featuring short summaries of numerous anomalous occurrences, a format that served him well for the next decade. In the mid-1960s he wrote two popular books on flying saucers that rode the wave of public interest but were considered disasters by the UFO community for their numerous factual errors.

Sources:

Clark, Jerome. The Emergence of a Phenomenon: UFOs from the Beginning through 1959. Vol. 2 of The UFO Encyclopedia. Detroit: Omnigraphics, 1992.

Edwards, Frank. Flying Saucers Here and Now. New York: Lyle Stuart, 1967.

——. Flying Saucers—Serious Business. New York: Lyle Stuart, 1966.

——. My First Ten Million Sponsors. New York: Ballantine Books, 1956.

——. Strange World. New York: Lyle Stuart, 1964.

——. Stranger Than Science. New York: Lyle Stuart, 1959.

——. Strangest of All. Secaucus, N.J.: Citadel Press, 1958.

• Born: March 20, 1909, Washington, GA
• Died: March 22, 2002, South Carolina
• Active: '40s, '70s, '80s, '90s, 2000s
• Genres: Blues
• Instrument: Vocals, Harmonica
• Representative Albums: "Georgia Country Blues," "Done Some Travelin'"

Biography

Like quite a few country blues performers, Frank Edwards could not be said to have consistent gigging and recording opportunities during his nearly 80 years in the music business. His recording career began in the early '40s on the Okeh label, resulting in a small number of sides that nonetheless seem to have had some kind of impact, even catching the attention of a large New York City booking agency that normally promoted more "uptown" types of entertainment, such as dance orchestras or radio performers. In the mid-'40s, the Taps Agency was attempting to create enough interest in Edwards to lure him back to the big city from Atlanta, an event that unfortunately never took place. As it turned out, Edwards would not release recordings again for decades. In the late '40s, producer Fred Mendelsohn of the Regal label cut several tracks with Edwards in Atlanta, but this material was not released commercially until the '60s. The Trix label finally put out a full album of Edwards in 1972 entitled Done Some Travelin', and it is considered a masterpiece.

Edwards' professional life also follows the pattern of country blues artists who headed north from Mississippi circa the second World War. His traveling partner at the time was fellow bluesman Tommy McClennan. Edwards recorded for Okeh producer Frank Melrose in 1941, eight sides in which the backup was provided by Robert Brown, also known as Washboard Sam. The release of these sides was unfortunately impacted by the outbreak of the war and the resulting recording ban, although several of the songs did come out. Following this venture, Edwards headed back south, choosing Atlanta and apparently staying put there.

Edwards covered guitar, harmonica, and vocals, and really did not need any other backing. His repertoire included quite original interpretations of blues and jazz standards such as "Good Morning Little School Girl" and "When the Saints Go Marching In," as well as original songs on a variety of subjects: prison ("Alcatraz Blues"), clothing styles (Mini Dress Wearer"), and, well, chicken raids ("Chicken Raid"). Despite the appeal of such material, he was not able to consistently support himself as a musician, finding work as a carpenter, painter, and plumber. But except for two years following a house fire that burned up his guitar, he always played the blues. A scant two hours prior to his death, Edwards completed a recording session in North Carolina. He suffered a heart attack on the ride home and died in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide

Georgia Country Blues Buy this CD

Done Some Travelin' Buy this CD

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