Edwin Starr RIP

[mdpm99]

:(

"War" Singer Edwin Starr Dead
Seventies soul man was sixty-one

1942-2003

Soul singer Edwin Starr, who topped the charts in 1970 with his fiery, iconic, anti-war song "War," died yesterday at his home in Nottingham, England; he was sixty-one. The cause of death is believed to be a heart attack.
Starr was born Charles Hatcher on January 21, 1942 in Nashville, and he started his first band, the Future Tones, as a teenager. He did a two-year stint in the army between 1960 and 1962 before moving to Detroit. A music manager there heard his voice and told Hatcher he would be a star. He added an "R" to that description, took on his middle name Edwin, and his stage name was born.

Starr began recording in the mid-Sixties for the Detroit label Ric-Tic Records, and scored his first pop hit, "Agent Double-O Soul," in 1965, which reached as high as Number Twenty-one. "Twenty-five Miles," released five years later would reach as high as Number Six.

But it was "War," delivered in Starr's rough, staccato bursts of singing for which he was best known. The single was released in July 1970 and spent thirteen weeks on the charts, three at Number One. Vietnam would provide Starr with his next, and last, hit, "Stop the War Now," in January of the following year. He continued to fare well on the R&B charts in the Seventies, though his successes in the U.S. would never match the early portion of the decade.

In 1983, he relocated to England where he continued to be well received. Two years later, "War" was resurrected by Bruce Springsteen, who included a cover of the song on his Live 1975-1985 box set, and released it as a single with accompanying video. Springsteen revisited the song last month, launching his Australian tour with a cover version in response to U.S. military action against Iraq.


http://www.rollingstone.com/news/printer_friendly.asp?nid=17832&cf=5609

[danny webb]

Rest in Peace Edwin.

[Clarkeecat]

a sad day, RIP edwin. I shall pull out all my old Ric Tic 7s in tribute tonight
MAtthew

[Sam The Man Burns]

I have been thinking about Edwin for the last few weeks since the war started........

Very timely..........

Rest in Peace Edwin
Thank you for your unique voice.

[Clarkeecat]

a sad day, RIP edwin. I shall pull out all my old Ric Tic 7s in tribute tonight
MAtthew

[blackwax]

a sad loss i have seen edwin perform many times
this saddens me
RIP Edwin a true Star

[rogie]

so sad.

Edwin's 'Hell up in Harlem' ost is my fave soundtrack of all the times.

i'm listening to 'dont it feel good to be free' with tears in my eyes.

rest in peace Edwin, i'll see you in Heaven.. biggrinangel.gif

[lyot]

i heard the news on the radio this morning ..RIP Edwin.

[sammyrock]

OHHHHH man~ Edwin Starr was like a Big Brother to me,"I just wanna do my thang",and "Contact"+ several other tracks that inspired me in that era.RIP and keep singing in heaven. :(

[Fletch]

Come on feet
start movin'
Got to get me there...

25 miles from home, girl
my feet are hurtin' mighty bad
now I've been walking for three days
and two lonely nights
you know that I'm mighty mad

But I got a woman waitin' for me
that's gonna make this trip worthwile
You see she's got the kind of lovin' and a kissin
a make a man boast on wild
so I got to keep on

WALKIN'.....I GOT TO WALK ON

[David Le C]

Too bad, he was a great artist... only thuesday the Roots began their concert here in brussels with the 'War' song in a loop...

[Fletch]

"Agent OO Soul" RIP

[s parris]

Rest in peace Edwin

'Get Up Whirlpool'

[Martin Red]

R.I.P Edwin

War...huh...yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutley nothing
Uh ha haa ha
War...huh...yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutley nothing...say it again y'all
War..huh...look out...
What is it good for?
Absolutley nothing...listen to me ohhhhh

WAR! I despise,
'cos to me destruction of innocent lives,
War means tears to thousands of mother's eyes,
When their sons gone to fight and lose their lives.

I said WAR!...huh...good God y'all,
What is it good for?
Absolutley nothing...say it again
War! Huh...What is it good for (Edwin sings 'Wohh oh Lord' over the top)
Absolutley nothing...listen to me

WAR! It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker,
War. Friend only to the undertaker.
Ohhh! War is an enemy to all mankind,
The thought of war blows my mind.
War is caused and raised within the younger generation,
Induction then destruction...who wants to die? Ohhh

WAR! good God y'all huh
What is it good for?
Absolutley nothing...say it say it SAY IT!
WAR!...uh huh yeah hu!
What is it good for?
Absolutley nothing...listen to me

WAR! It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker,
War! It's got one friend that's the undertaker.
Ohhhh! War has shattered many a young man's dream,
Made him disabled, bitter and mean,
Life is much too short and precious to spend fighting wars these days.
War can't give life, it can only take it away!

Ohhh WAR! huh...good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutley nothing...say it again
War!...huh...woh oh oh Lord
What is it good for?
Absolutley nothing...listen to me

War! It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker,
War. Friend only to the undertaker...woo
Peace lovin' understand then tell me,
Is there no place for them today?
They say we must fight to keep our freedom,
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way.

Ohhhhhhh WAR! huh...good God y'all...
What is it good for?...you tell me!
Say it say it say it saaaay it!
War! good God now...huh
What is it good for?
Stand up and shout it...NOTHING [END]

[Martin Red]

I was just told he lived not too far from Birmingham Uk (Warwickshire)

[Mack-Williams]

RIP. Favorite song "Music brings out the beast in Me". I just can't stop dancing when I hear that music playing, playing.

[imported_Chr_stopher]

Edwin Starr RIP....

I actually just played "War" on my show last week.

[Al Kent]

That's really sad news. When I was a lot younger and first discovered soul music it was songs like Back Street, Stop Her on Sight and 00 Soul that we were dancing to. He played live a lot in the UK, presumably because he settled here. I saw him numerous times and actually met him after a couple of shows. He wasn't the type to disappear out the back door, he came and mingled with his audience and generated real warmth. He was a genuinely nice person.

[Sharp Eye Washington]

RIP. I love his version of "Ball of Confusion". That shit is raw!

[ultra]

Rest in Peace.

[DJCA]

People movin' out, People movin' in WHY because
of the color of the skin.
RUN RUN RUN but ya sho' can't Hide!

RIP EDWIN STARR

This brother meant alot to me personally back in the 60's and 70's as a shorty. There wasn't anything by him or James Brown I wasn't into back then. His voice and Social/Political commentary of his songs demanded attention. (and got it from me) "War"(the song) helped me understand that war cannot be understood because it is good for "ABSOLUTELY NOTHING" !!! as a child that said a whole lot to me.

[MC]

I can remember listening to "Low Rider" while in grade school down here. That songs was an anthem song for me and my little Mexican friends!!! smokin.gif

[Andrew Osborne]

He was living in Nottingham. Very sad news.

[AD]

Another MoTown legend leaves us. :( May he rest in peace.

[Walter M. Jones]

I was thinking about the song "War" as well. RIP,Mr. Starr.

[djmarbll]

RIP Edwin Starr. He was an often overlooked artist.

[M-TRAXXX]

R.I.P. Edwin Starr.

I will drop 'Happy Radio' in memory of you. ;)

M-TRAXXX.