Guitarist, singer and songwriter Willie Edwards was one of the many white kids who first discovered blues and folk music in the 1960s. He began playing guitar in tenth grade and became a fan of 1960s soul, as well as blues and folk music, buying albums by artists like Solomon Burke and Otis Redding. From the mid-1960s, he led a bevy of soul, R&B and blues bands around his native Connecticut, always playing rhythm guitar. It wasn't until later that he began playing lead guitar, and with his smoky, throaty vocals and Albert King-inspired guitar riffs, his various bands found audiences in clubs around Connecticut and Massachusetts. Edwards' songwriting and vocals are what set him apart from other blues bands, aside from the fact that he's been leading his own bands since 1965.
Edwards recorded a strong debut album for the London-based JSP Records, Everlastin' Tears. The album, released in 1997 and produced by Johnny Rawls, showcases his unique songwriting voice. Edwards sings songs like "Dollar In," "Company Store," "'90s Blues," and "Read Between the Lines," that contain social commentary as well as some ferocious guitar playing. He's accompanied by Johnny Rawls on guitar and the Nutmeg Horns.
