Honeyboy American bluesman Date of Birth: 28.06.1915 Country: USA

1. Biography of David "Honeyboy" Edwards
2. Early Life and Influences
3. Musical Career and Later Years
4. Legacy and Death

Biography of David "Honeyboy" Edwards

Legendary American blues musician, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, was a representative of the delta blues genre. He was born in Shaw, Mississippi and became the oldest living delta bluesman. Edwards won two Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Influences

From a young age, Edwards was passionate about music. At the age of 14, he left his parents' home and began travelling with bluesman Big Joe Williams. During the 1930s and 1940s, Edwards lived the life of a wandering musician. It was during this time that he met and befriended the blues musician Robert Johnson. Edwards was with Johnson when he died, and his version of Johnson's death from poisoned whiskey became widely known. In 1991, Edwards appeared in the documentary film "The Search for Robert Johnson," sharing his stories about Johnson and his theory on his murder.

Edwards also had the opportunity to play with other southern bluesmen such as Charley Patton, Tommy Johnson, and Johnny Shines. Folklorist Alan Lomax recorded Edwards in 1942 for the Library of Congress. However, Edwards didn't release his first official album until 1951, titled "Who May Be Your Regular Be" under the name "Mr. Honey." He also claimed authorship of well-known blues compositions such as "Long Tall Woman Blues" and "Just Like Jesse James."

Musical Career and Later Years

In the 1950s and 1960s, Edwards recorded only nine songs over seven sessions. In the period from 1974 to 1977, he recorded material for a full-length album, which was released in 1978 as "I've Been Around." In 1997, Edwards published his autobiography, "The World Don't Owe Me Nothing: The Life and Times of Delta Bluesman Honeyboy Edwards," in which he reminisced about his life from childhood and his musical travels throughout the American South, including his arrival in Chicago in the early 1950s.

In his later years, Edwards continued to record extensively, and in the new millennium, he was recognized as one of the oldest living representatives of delta blues. In 2008, he released his 14th official album, which earned him his first Grammy Award. In 2010, Edwards received his second Grammy Award for lifetime achievement. In 2011, his manager announced that Edwards would retire from active concert and studio work due to deteriorating health.

Legacy and Death

David "Honeyboy" Edwards passed away on August 29, 2011, at the age of 96, due to congestive heart failure. His life story was captured in the 2010 documentary film, "Honeyboy and the History of the Blues." Edwards left behind a lasting legacy as a pioneer of delta blues and a respected figure in the blues community.