-By Ray Shasho
The Singer, Songwriter & Musician who brought us “Sunshine”
The Singer, Songwriter & Musician who brought us “Sunshine”
"Sunshine go away today
I don't feel much like dancing
Some man's gone, he's tried to run my life
Some man's gone, he's tried to run my life
Don't
know what he's asking" …
Since 1970, singer/songwriter/musician Jonathan Edwards has
been captivating audiences worldwide with his acoustic guitar and a story to
sing about.
In 1969, Edwards’s professional career heightened after his
band Sugar Creek signed with
Metromedia Records and released their only album together as a band entitled
‘Please Tell A Friend.’ Sugar
Creek’s debut release was a musically
intelligent effort by the band, combining psychedelic blues & rock with
exceptional vocalizations. Although the band had great potential, Edwards left
the band, while abandoning electrified psychedelia for the acoustic renderings
of folk and country as a solo performer.
Soon after leaving Sugar Creek, Edwards began
touring with legendary artists such as the Allman Brothers Band and B. B King,
and was discovered as a solo artist by Capricorn Records. In
1971, Edwards launched his critically-acclaimed debut album Jonathan Edwards.
The release spawned his penned hit single “Sunshine”
(Go Away Today) (#4 Billboard Hot 100 Chart),
selling over a million copies and earning Jonathan a gold record. Ironically,
an engineer accidentally erased the master of a track called "Please Find Me" near the end of the
recording sessions for the album and "Sunshine" was used to fill the
gap.
For many, “Sunshine” became a
rallying protest cry against war and politics.
Edwards reveals in this interview … “It was a combination of factors that went into the inspiration of pulling that one together and started with my dad being an ex FBI agent and me taking over ROTC buildings at the same time he was still an FBI agent. It was the height of the Viet Nam war that was brought to us through ways of lies and submergence, Nixon was president and I had just narrowly survived my pre induction draft board physical and I was very frustrated with our Government and the conduct it was having in our name, so I just sat down with this in Brighton, Massachusetts, wrote the song, and it took off.”
“Sunshine” has since been covered by numerous
recording artists worldwide including … Juice
Newton (#35 Billboard country charts), The Isley Brothers, Susanna Hoffs (The
Bangles) and Paul Westerberg (The
Replacements) to name just a few.
The Friday Song, which was played on radio stations coast to coast at
5pm.
Jonathan’s 'Little
Hands', his
collection of children’s songs, was honored with a National Library Association
award.
Jonathan Edwards official releases … (1971) Jonathan Edwards, (1972) Honky-Tonk Stardust
Cowboy, (1973) Have a Good Time for Me, (1974) Lucky
Day (1976) Rockin' Chair (1977) Sailboat (1980) Live!,
(1985) Blue Ridge, (1987) Little Hands, (1989) Natural Thing
(1994) One Day Closer, (1998) Man in the Moon, (2001) Cruising
America's Waterways, (2006) Live in Massachusetts
,(2009) Rollin' Along: Live in Holland, (2011) My Love Will Keep,
(2015) Tomorrows Child (NEW release!).
Jonathan Edwards’s new
release Tomorrow’s
Child also features Grammy Nominated, Darrell Scott, Vince Gill, Shawn Colvin, Jerry Douglas and Alison Krauss. Edwards says … “A dream come true to have old friends like these on my album
would be the understatement of the decade!” A pre-release copy of
Jonathan Edwards new album entitled Tomorrow’s Child can be ordered now at www.pledgemusic.com/projects/jonathanedwards.
I had the great pleasure of chatting with Jonathan Edwards recently about his exciting new
release Tomorrows Child … The inception of “Sunshine” …
Jonathan’s days with the psychedelic blues & rock band Sugar Creek … His
longtime friendship with Emmylou Harris …My infamous ‘Field of Dreams’
question… and much-much more!
Here’s my recent interview with Singer,
Songwriter, Musician, Actor …
JONATHAN
EDWARDS.
Ray
Shasho: Jonathan
thank you for being on the call, where are you at today?
Jonathan
Edwards: “We’re
hovering around home today in Portland, Maine.”
Ray
Shasho Who
were the early influences that got you interested in becoming a musician and
performer?
Jonathan
Edwards: “I don’t know, I guess I watched a
little too much TV as a kid and saw people like Bobby Darin, Johnny Rivers,
Otis Redding, and Ray Charles. Then I started getting into acoustic music in
the form of bluegrass when I started high school and became aware of what power
exists in acoustic bands. So I just started loving that whole thing and began
writing around that same time.”
Ray
Shasho: Early
in your career you formed a blues-rock band called ‘The Headstone Circus’ which
eventually became ‘Sugar Creek’ in 1967.
Jonathan
Edwards: “I did yea, that
was the name of the band our manager and his infinite wisdom thought we should
have, but we were really called ‘The Headstone Circus’ and that was the name we
came with although we recorded under ‘Sugar Creek.’”
Ray
Shasho: I
enjoyed all of the tracks from Sugar Creek’s album ‘Please Tell a Friend’ …
“Lady Linda” is a beautiful song and reminiscent to a Stephen Stills classic,
while “Memory Tree” is an incredible mind-blowing psychedelic phenomena …I
thoroughly enjoyed the album.
Jonathan
Edwards: “I drew the
cover. We were six guys and it only showed four of us on the album jacket, but
there were actually six of us until after the album was recorded so I just
didn’t put them on the cover. We were six different guys in totally separate
directions and we came together for this record. It does have some really cool
moments for sure.”
Ray
Shasho: So
why did the band breakup?
Jonathan
Edwards: “Like I said we
were in six different directions. I wanted to pursue a solo career and get out
of electric loud music and get into more organic pleasant sounds with acoustic
guitars, mandolins, and banjos and see what they bring for me.”
Ray
Shasho: When you did go solo you signed
with the Macon, Georgia based Capricorn Records and toured with many of the
Capricorn artists including The Allman Brothers Band.
Jonathan
Edwards: “We were on the same
label as The Allman Brothers Band, Cowboy, Livingston Taylor, Alex Taylor and
so many other cool people.”
Ray
Shasho: Jonathan
you’ve got your new album, Tomorrow’s Child coming out soon and it was recorded
in Nashville.
Jonathan
Edwards: “I’ve
found a kindred spirit in a guy named Darrell Scott, and my manager in
Nashville suggested I hookup with him and see what would come of it, and so
instantly a musical love and he produced this wonderful album. We sat down and
he said… do remember when we used to make records, we’d all sit in a room in a
circle with our guitars and a couple of microphones and run the tape machine.
Well that’s what we did. We had percussion, standup bass, Darrell and I playing
guitars, and this wonderful guy Dirk Powell. We just sat and rehearsed one day
and began taping the next. We were in the studio for three days … (3) eight to
ten hour sessions which is not what I used to do; I’d do twelve to fifteen hour
sessions. But it was one of those organic things that grew out of the
inspiration to go back to how we used to sound and feel when we were making
acoustic records.”
Ray
Shasho: Who are some of the other musicians
on the album?
Jonathan
Edwards: “I brought
in one guy from my band called Joe Walsh, we call him the other Joe Walsh, and
he plays mandolin on a song, but mostly it’s the Nashville Cats that are not
only studio musicians but road warriors as well. Bryn Davies is playing bass
and Kenny Malone is playing percussion and drums, Dirk Powell plays mandolin,
mellotron, accordions, guitars and piano… he’s just a monstrous guy, and
Darrell Scott of course playing all the guitars … metal steel, slide and Dobro.
I got to play some Dobro with Jerry Douglas who plays on the title song along
with his buddy and my old friend Alison Krauss. I’m so thrilled to be even
saying that. I started calling my old friends and said hey, let’s do this
thing, you all have been keeping your fingers crossed for me to get my act
together and do a good record and here’s your chance to be of some help. So I
called Shawn Colvin and she graciously came in, Vince Gill came in and sang on
a couple of songs and he’s an angel from heaven as well. I’ve got John Cowan
singing some high harmonies and Darrell and I do the rest. It’s pretty awesome
and I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
Ray
Shasho: Let’s talk about your huge hit in
1971 called “Sunshine,” the single written and sung by you reached #4 on
Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart and earned a gold record. What was the story
behind writing that timeless classic?
Jonathan
Edwards: “It was a
combination of factors that went into the inspiration of pulling that one
together and started with my dad being an ex FBI agent and me taking over ROTC
buildings at the same time he was still an FBI agent. It was the height of the
Viet Nam war that was brought to us through ways of lies and submergence, Nixon
was president and I had just narrowly survived my pre induction draft board
physical and I was very frustrated with our Government and the conduct it was
having in our name, so I just sat down with this in Brighton, Massachusetts,
wrote the song, and it took off. It became an anthem for many people at a
crucial time in our history and culture. I just had the pleasure of performing
that song along with three others with an eighty-two piece symphony orchestra
behind us at Kingfield POPS in Kingfield, Maine which featured the Bangor Symphony
Orchestra and that was such a trip and so amazing. I also did the title song
from the new album entitled “Tomorrow’s Child” with the whole symphony setting.
So there are a lot of things going on and I couldn’t be happier, healthier, and
more involved.”
Ray
Shasho: “Was that the first time you
actually performed with a symphony orchestra?
Jonathan
Edwards: “Yea first time,
but I think the way it went and the way things are going …it’s going to be the
first of many. I may do another five songs or so, tour cities and playing with
their orchestras, so it’s going to be fun. I’m lucky enough to have a musical
director named Tom Snow who writes these beautiful charts and arrangements for
orchestra on my songs.”
Ray
Shasho: You’ve
written and performed so many great tunes … “Shanty” fondly referred to as ‘The
Friday Song.’
Jonathan
Edwards: “Yup and they
play it at five o’clock on Friday’s.”
Ray
Shasho: You perform one of the best
versions of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” that I’ve heard and “Seven Daffodils”
… just an amazing track.
Jonathan
Edwards: “I first heard “Seven Daffodils”
from Pete Seeger and it stayed with me all these years.”
Ray
Shasho: You’ve had a longtime friendship
with Emmylou Harris.
Jonathan
Edwards: “We go way back to the late 60’s;
she was part of the community that haunted the Childe Harold in Washington,
D.C. In 1973, I had kind of had it with the music business and had wanted to
take a break from it and understand what it was to get back to the land and get
off the power grid and work with actual horses instead of diesel powered horse
power and all that stuff. Learn how to feed a family and provide a sustainable
lifestyle for me, friends and my family. I was in Nova Scotia for nine months
and Emmy called me and she said, Jon great news, I’m doing an album for Warner
Brothers and I want you to come out to LA and sing with me on this album. I
said, save me a place, I’m on my way. So that’s how I got back into the music
business and she’s a constant friend and loyal supporter ever since.”
Ray
Shasho: You’ve also been an actor during
your musical career?
Jonathan
Edwards: “I am kind of an actor, I’ve been
playing myself for all these years and that’s no easy task (all laughing). Yea,
I did get a chance to do some Broadway and had a snippet in a movie and I loved
that experience and hope to have more of those opportunities. I played Reverend
Perley in The Golden Boys (2008) movie. It had an amazing cast …David
Carradine, Rip Torn, Bruce Dern, Mariel Hemingway, Charles Durning, and Julie
Harris to name just a few… and here I was my first time reading from a script
and standing in front of these seasoned classical actors, and it was great to
see how they reacted. But they kind of looked at each other and …whoa, this guy
has it going on, and that was all the positive vibe I needed.”
Ray
Shasho: I
told Tom Rush this when I interviewed him … there’s nothing like a single
performer onstage with an acoustic guitar and a story to sing about … and like
Tom, it certainly doesn’t hurt to be humorous as well.
Jonathan Edwards: “For me …
I get a lot of applause, I get a lot of tears, but laughs are really the bread
and butter. If I can get a crowd laughing I’m in heaven.”
Ray
Shasho: Jonathan do you experiment
with other musical genres?
Jonathan
Edwards: “Oh
yea, I’ll sit in with a bunch of my friends who have local blues bands and I’ll
go sit in and play some electric harp and they can’t get rid of me. The new
album will have some of that on it.”
Ray
Shasho: Do you have children that are
singers or musicians?
Jonathan
Edwards: “Yes and she’s on the new record
too. Grace is on the new album and one of the songs is written about her called
“Gracie.” She’s wonderful and is back in the United States trying to get
her music going here in the states. She’ll be recording for Jimmy Buffett’s
label Mailboat Records. I made the introduction and I’m so proud and glad for
her. She’s awesome and twice the star I’ll ever be.”
Ray
Shasho: Jonathan
here’s a question that I ask everyone that I interview. If you had a ‘Field of
Dreams’ wish like the movie, to play, sing or collaborate with anyone from the
past or present, who would that be?
Jonathan
Edwards:
“I’ve already given it to you. To do an album with all the people I’ve named…
Shawn Colvin, Alison Krauss and Jerry Douglas …that to me is as good as it
gets. I’m going to be hard-pressed to follow this album with something nearly
as good but I’m sure going to try, I think I’ve got it in me. In fact I think
I’ve got all the songs for the next record but that will be out there in my
‘Field of Dreams’ for sure.”
Ray
Shasho: Jonathan,
thank you for being on the call today but more importantly for all the
incredible music you’ve given us and continue to bring.
Jonathan
Edwards: “Thanks Ray for
helping support live acoustic music.”
Jonathan
Edwards new release Tomorrow’s Child ...
featuring Grammy Nominated, Darrell Scott ... Vince Gill... Shawn Colvin... Jerry Douglas... and
... Alison Krauss.
featuring Grammy Nominated, Darrell Scott ... Vince Gill... Shawn Colvin... Jerry Douglas... and
... Alison Krauss.
Edwards says …
“A dream come true to have old friends like these on my album would be the understatement of the decade!”
A pre-release copy of Jonathan Edwards
New album entitled Tomorrow’s Child can be ordered now ... At www.pledgemusic.com/projects/jonathanedwards
COMING
UP NEXT…An interview with lead vocalist and songwriter NIKKI LUNDEN and
guitarist LORA ‘G’ ESPINOZA from
an incredible new band entitled ‘Lunden Reign’…
Also
Upcoming ... legendary contemporary
international singer and songwriter … ENGELBERT HUMPERDINK ("Release
Me")
Contact ME, music journalist Ray Shasho at Rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com
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