b. September 4th, 1918 in Union Hall (Virginia)
d. June 18th, 1998 in Seat Pleasant (Maryland)
CLASSIC APPALACHIAN BLUES
Folkways
October 1978
Né dans une ferme - un des douze enfants de Roy et Pearl Edwards - il a l'habitude dans sa jeunesse d'accompagner son père qui joue guitare, banjo et harmonica. Il partage sa première guitare avec ses deux frères Willie et Robert. Fatigué des métiers de la terre, il s'installe dans le New Jersey et exerce différents métiers comme cuisinier ou chauffeur. En octobre 1978, Archie enregistre la première version de son titre fétiche "The road is rough and rocky" pour Folkways.
Born in a farm - one of the twelve children of Roy and Pearl Edwards - in his youth he used to accompany his father who plays guitar, banjo and harmonica. He shared his first guitar with his two brothers Willie and Robert. Tired of the farm works, he settled in New Jersey and had various jobs as cook or driver. In october 1978, Archie recorded the first version of his favorite title "The road is rough and rocky" for Folkways.
THE INTRODUCTION TO LIVING COUNTRY BLUES USA
L+R
Evidence
October 1980
Un superbe morceau - "Bear cat mama blues" - issu des séances organisées par les allemands Axel Küstner et Siegfried Christmann.
A superb song - "Bear cat mama blues" - from sessions organized by the germans Axel Küstner and Siegfried Christmann.
LIVING COUNTRY BLUES USA vol.6 : THE ROAD IS ROUGH AND ROCKY
L+R
Evidence
October - November 1980
Il se fixe définitivement à Washington et travaille comme agent de sécurité fédéral tout en étant barbier. A noter qu'Archie prend sa retraite de garde fédéral en 1981. C'est Flora Molton qui introduit Archie Edwards au musicologue allemand Axel Küstner pour ses enregistrements de terrain. Ce sixième volume de sa collection "Living country blues U.S.A" est entièrement dévolu à Archie Edwards. Très bon représentant du Piedmont Blues, il propose ici une belle démonstration de ses qualités de bluesman notamment à travers les titres "That won't do", "My old schoolmates", "Baby please give me a break", "The road is rough and rocky", "Duffle bag blues".
He settled permanently in Washington and worked as a federal security agent while being a barber. Note that Archie retired from his federal guard job in 1981. It was Flora Molton who introduced Archie Edwards to german musicologist Axel Küstner for his field recordings. This sixth volume of his "Living country blues U.S.A" collection is entirely devoted to Archie Edwards. Very good representative of Piedmont Blues, he offers here a beautiful demonstration of his bluesman skills in particular through the titles "That won't do", "My old schoolmates", "Baby please give me a break", "The road is rough and rocky", "Duffle bag blues".
LIVING COUNTRY BLUES USA vol.10 : COUNTRY BOOGIE
L+R
Evidence
October - November 1980
Un autre titre d'Archie Edwards rassemblé par Axel Küstner et Siegfried Christmann.
Another title by Archie Edwards collected by Axel Küstner and Siegfried Christmann.
LIVING COUNTRY BLUES USA vol.12 : EAST COAST BLUES
L+R
Evidence
October - November 1980
Sur ce volume, on trouve quatre titres d'Archie Edwards provenant des mêmes séances entre Piedmont Blues et airs traditionnels.
On this volume, there are four titles by Archie Edwards from the same sessions between Piedmont Blues and traditional tunes.
BLUES LIVE '82
L+R
November 1982
Archie Edwards est invité à participer à la tournée American Folk Blues Festival organisée par Horst Lippmann et Fritz Rau. On trouve dans ce recueil trois bons morceaux captés lors du concert de Francfort : "How long blues", "That won't do", "Take me back baby".
Archie Edwards is invited to participate in the American Folk Blues Festival tour organized by Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau. We find in this collection three good songs captured during the Frankfurt concert : "How long blues", "That won't do", "Take me back baby".
AMERICAN FOLK BLUES FESTIVAL '82
Amiga
November 1982
Un titre supplémentaire - "The road is rough and rocky" - enregistré pendant la tournée de l'American Folk Blues Festival.
One additional title - "The road is rough and rocky" - recorded during American Folk Blues Festival tour.
THE TORONTO SESSIONS
Northern Blues
June 1986
Enregistrée en 1986, cette séance ne fut publiée qu'en 2001. Archie Edwards y met en exergue son jeu élégant entre Piedmont Blues, ragtime et airs folkloriques. Les notes de pochette de Barry Lee Pearson sont très informatives. Un deuxième volume était prévu mais n'a finalement jamais vu le jour. Meilleurs moments : "One thin dime blues", "I'm down today", "I called my baby long distance", "Sitting on top of the world", "Meet me in the bottom".
Recorded in 1986, this session was not issued until 2001. Archie Edwards highlights his elegant guitar playing between Piedmont Blues, ragtime and folk tunes. The sleeve notes by Barry Lee Pearson are very informative. A second volume was planned but ultimately never saw the light of day. Highlights : "One thin dime blues", "I'm down today", "I called my baby long distance", "Sitting on top of the world", "Meet me in the bottom".
PIEDMONT BLUES MEETS MISSISSIPPI DELTA BLUES
Wolf
December 1988
BLUES 'N BONES
Mapleshade
April - October 1989
Ces séances furent produites par Pierre Sprey entre avril et octobre 1989. Archie - à la guitare et à l'ukulele - est accompagné de Richard "Mr Bones" Thomas (osselets) et Mark Wenner (harmonica). On retrouve dans cet album les titres habituels d'Archie Edwards ce qui engendre un certain manque de nouveauté. Néanmoins, "My old schoolmates", "Saturday night hop", "Baby please gimme a break", "Meet me in the bottom" méritent une écoute attentive. Un disque plutôt sympathique mais inférieur à "Toronto sessions".
These sessions were produced by Pierre Sprey between april and october 1989. Archie - on guitar and ukulele - is accompanied by Richard "Mr Bones" Thomas (bones) and Mark Wenner (harmonica). We find in this album the usual titles of Archie Edwards which generates a certain lack of novelty. Nevertheless, "My old schoolmates", "Saturday night hop", "Baby please gimme a break", "Meet me in the bottom" deserve careful listening. A rather nice record but less interesting than "Toronto sessions".