From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Sun Jan 18, 2004  7:27 am
Subject:  This Is My Story : Bobby Edwards
 
BOBBY EDWARDS

Born Robert Edward Moncrief, 18 January 1926, Anniston, Alabama

Bobby Edwards had one of those moments that every singer or
songwriter lives for when he wrote "You're the Reason" in 1961,
a # 11 pop and # 4 country hit.
The son of a preacher, Edwards first recorded for Pappy Daily at
'D' Records in 1958, under the name Bobby Moncrief. In 1959
he revived Tex Ritter's "Jealous Heart" on Bluebonnet ; the record
was reissued on the Manco label in 1962. Then Edwards went out
west, working shows on his own in southern California before song-
writer Terry Fell placed him on Crest Records, and helped produce
and arrange "You're the Reason". Though Bobby wrote all of the
song, his manager (Fred Henley), his financier and Terry Fell all got
a quarter share. Cover versions by Joe South and Hank Locklin
hurt Edwards' sales a little.

On "You're the Reason", Edwards is backed by the Four Young Men,
a vocal group that recorded a series of non-hits for Crest, Dore and
Delta between 1961 and 1963. Eddie Cochran is alleged to play guitar
on some of their Crest sides. For more info on the Four Young Men see:
http://members.chello.at/thomas.aubrunner/moore3.htm

Like a vulture, Capitol Records snatched Edwards away from Crest
and released a carbon copy of his big hit in the shape of "What's the
Reason" (yes, the same song that Fats Domino recorded). Peaking at
# 71, it was Edwards last pop hit, though he did have another country hit
with "Don't Pretend" (# 23) in 1963.

But Edwards had high hopes when Capitol signed him. He swears that
Capitol bought him a house in the Nashville suburb of Hendersonville,
and tried to make him the kingpin of their eastern roster. He appeared
on the Grand Old Opry and toured often with Cowboy Copas. Also, he
returned to the song that had been his debut on 'D' Records, "Here's My
Heart"; the Capitol version has just been reissued on "The Drugstore's
Rockin' , Vol. 3" (Bear Family BCD 16608). At the end of the Capitol
deal, Edwards moved on to Musicor and Chart Records. He stayed in
the Nashville area, then returned home to Alabama as a gospel singer,
before retiring to the Nashville suburb of Smyrna.

"You're the Reason" is available on the compilation CD's "Talk About A
Party : The Crest Records Story" (Rockstar RSRCD 017) and "The
Golden Age of American Rock 'n' Roll : Country Edition" (Ace 845).
The song has been recorded by many artists, including John Fogerty
on his Blue Ridge Rangers album.