Journalist and Country Musician Joe Edward Passes Away At 75

Joe Edwards was a journalist with the Associated Press for four decades. During that time, he covered country music and helped “Rocky Top” become the state song of Tennessee. He was 75. Longtime AP coworker Randall Dickerson reported that Edwards’ widow called him to inform him that her husband died on Friday in Nashville following a protracted illness. Edwards conducted interviews with celebrities like Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift to chronicle the rise of country music. From 1975 through 1992, he was the AP’s Nashville Sound country music columnist. In the 1980s, he provided analysis for The Nashville Network cable TV station.

Joe Edward’s cause of death

Joe Edwards was a journalist with the Associated Press for four decades. During that time, he covered country music and helped “Rocky Top” become the state song of Tennessee. He was 75. The General Assembly designated “Rocky Top” as the state song in 1982 due to an article Edwards wrote about the song’s popularity.

At the time, the song’s co-writer, Boudleaux Bryant, said, “He got the ball moving.” Throughout his AP career, which was entirely based in Nashville, he also wrote about sports and several other subjects. In the Nashville bureau, he held most positions, including sports editor, broadcast editor, and day and night supervisor.

Edwards was one of the journalists present to report Elvis Presley’s passing in 1977. Additionally, he covered or edited reports from over 20 Country Music Association awards ceremonies. In the 1970s and 1980s, he received numerous nominations for AP writing honours. He once quipped, “I simply arrive on time and carry out instructions.”

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Joe Edward’s early life

After receiving his degree from Eastern Kentucky University, Edwards started working for the AP in 1970. He previously studied at Vincennes University in Indiana. He held jobs at the Cincinnati Enquirer and Crawfordsville Journal-Review while in college.

He occasionally played basketball with Al Gore, who was working as a reporter for The Nashville Tennessean at the time, soon after starting his employment in Nashville. Later, Gore was elected vice president. According to Edwards, “He was an excellent rebounder.”

He also spoke with Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Barbara Mandrell, and Loretta Lynn, who play country music. Edwards cast votes for the Songwriters Hall of Fame nominations for some years. He specialised in writing obituaries for musicians Carl Perkins, Bill Monroe, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Porter Wagoner, and Porter Wagoner.

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