Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards is an American singer-songwriter and musician from Aitkin, United States. He works in contemporary folk, country, folk and singer-songwriter styles, and is best known for the crossover folk singles “Sunshine” and “Shanty”.

Early bands and solo work

While a student, Edwards forms the eclectic rock band St James Doorknob with Malcolm McKinney. He later joins McKinney and guitarist and blues harp player Joe Dolce in The Headstone Circus, which becomes one of the most popular blues-rock bands in Southern Ohio. The group later changes its name to Sugar Creek and records a single album, Please Tell a Friend, before Edwards leaves to pursue solo acoustic music.

His solo recording career begins after he accidentally erases another song intended for a self-titled album and records “Sunshine” instead. The song becomes a Billboard No. 4 pop hit during the early 1970s, when anti-war protest and rejection of authority are prominent in popular culture. He later moves into mainstream country music, leaves the business for a period, and relocates to Nova Scotia, where he buys a farm.

Later career

By 1976 Edwards returns to music and sings backup on Emmylou Harris’s second album, Elite Hotel. After three more solo albums and another break, he joins bluegrass group The Seldom Scene and records one album with the band. He then turns to children’s music with Little Hands.

Edwards returns to country music in 1989 with The Natural Thing, which includes his biggest country hit, “We Need to Be Locked Away”. He continues to record albums and tour.

Discography

His albums include Jonathan Edwards, Honky-Tonk Stardust Cowboy, Have a Good Time for Me, Lucky Day (live), Rockin’ Chair, Sailboat, Live! (live), Blue Ridge with The Seldom Scene, Little Hands, The Natural Thing, One Day Closer, Man on the Moon and Cruising America’s Waterways (live).

Other work

Edwards also produces albums for Cheryl Wheeler.