John Edwards, the R&B singer who rose to stardom with The Spinners, has died after a long illness.
Edwards joined The Spinners in 1977, after their sensation run on Atlantic Records with lead singer Phillippe Wynne. Everyone thought that without Wynne, the group was done. But they were wrong.
With Edwards singing lead, the group had two smashes — a cover of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ “Working My Way Back to You,” and Sam Cooke’s “Cupid.”
It’s fair to say those two covers, which went top 10, were as popular as the Spinners run of hits a few years earlier including “Could it Be I’m Falling in Love” and “I’ll Be Around.”
The Spinners had such a long and successful career it’s hard to imagine they weren’t inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame until 2023. Jann Wenner didn’t want them, but every year the late Seymour Stein fought for them.
Edwards was 80, and had a long career before he even joined the group. His voice will be heard forever.
The world of classic R&B shrinks a little more.
