Tommy Edwards 1922--1969

S-31-a

Born Thomas Jefferson Edwards here in Henrico County on 15 Oct. 1922, African American singer-songwriter Tommy Edwards composed songs recorded by well-known performers Tony Bennett, Red Foley, Tony Fontane, and Louis Jordan. He recorded for Top and National Records before joining MGM and scoring several hits, including “It's All in the Game,” in 1951. In 1958 an updated version of the song sold more than 3,000,000 copies. He charted 13 more songs and released 12 albums before his death on 23 Oct. 1969. His fame is preserved by the enduring popularity of his signature song. Edwards is interred in nearby Quioccasin Baptist Church Cemetery.

Department of Historic Resources, 2007

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References/Bibliographic Citation:

Richmond Times Dispatch, 31 Dec. 1950; 10 Feb. 1952; 26 Oct. 1958; 24-25 Oct. 1969. Richmond News Leader, 15 Dec. 1958; 24 Feb. 1968, 23 Oct. 1969.Washington Post, 25 Oct. 1969. Joel Whitburn, Joel Whitburn’s Pop Memories 1890-1954 (Record Research, Inc, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, 1986) Joel Whitburn, Joel Whitburn’s Top Pop Singles 1955-1993 (Record Research Inc, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, 1994) Colin Larkin, ed. Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 3rd edition, vol. 3 (MUZE UK Ltd, London, 1998) Photocopies of Whitburn biographies indicating his singular expertise in the field of American popular music. Photocopies of original albums by Tommy Edwards and released by MGM. Printout of Tony Fontane biography, from Internet site. Printout of EBay image of Tony Fontane recording of “All Over Again,” written by Tommy Edwards. Printout from Savoy discography site on the Internet, depicting some of Edwards’s National label recordings. Printout of a private collector’s discography showing Edwards’s National and Top label recordings. Printouts from various Internet sites depicting chart rankings in United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. Photocopies of two maps indicating the location of Quioccasin Baptist Church, the nearby church cemetery, and three proposed marker locations.