ArtistInfo

Greg Edwards

*1947

Greg Edwards (born 24 December, 1947) is a radio broadcaster and DJ. He is well known as the founder of Capital Radio's 'Soul Spectrum' programme (from 1975 onwards) and for the promotion of PIR records and associated artists when it was formed in 1971. Edwards was born in Grenada and raised in New York although he moved to the UK in 1971 in order to assist in the running of the newly formed Philadelphia International Records label which was founded by writer-producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff. He worked as an Executive at CBS Records during this time where he held responsibility for the marketing and promotion of soul music. He held responsibility for the promotion of musicians Earth, Wind & Fire, Lou Rawls, The Headhunters (Herbie Hancock), Miles Davis, Robert Knight, Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes, Billy Paul and Johnny Nash. He also single-handedly started up the careers, in the UK, of The O'Jays in 1972 and The Three Degrees in 1974. While still working at CBS, Greg was approached by BBC Radio One to stand in for DJ Emperor Rosko who was forced to return to Los Angeles on personal leave. After three weeks, Greg was permanently installed for the Saturday 12pm-3pm slot and was soon on his way to becoming a legend of radio. When Capital Radio gained their license to broadcast they invited Greg to join the fold, but due to contract issues with the BBC he was unable to join them until six months after they went on air. When he did join Greg decided to implement a show he had been thinking of producing for years where all, or most, strands of black origin music would be presented in an entertaining and positive way. From this notion ‘Soul Spectrum’ was born and would continue until Greg left Capital fourteen years later. Edwards now works as a DJ travelling to venues around the UK on a regular basis including internet radio station Jazz Funk Soul Radio's (JFSR) "Bless the Funk" events held each year organized by Dave Marley. He also currently presents a programme on radio station "Mi Soul" every Sunday 1pm - 3pm called 'Soul Spectrum'. In the late 1970s and through to the early 1980s Edwards began live broadcasts (which were also broadcast with DJ Jeff Young on Capital Radio's 95.8 MHz FM frequency and 194 metres medium wave) of his show from the Lyceum Ballroom in the Strand, London. These shows were known as "The best disco in town" broadcast every Friday evening. People would travel to this venue from around the UK, many in named groups e.g. 'Brighton Funk Formation'. For those who came from London Greg would get the audience to cheer (and whistle) when their area of London was given a shout i.e. north, south, east and west London. He would be one of the first DJs to play soul and disco records to an audience live on a national radio station in the UK. He was responsible, along with DJ Robbie Vincent for promoting live bands from this venue, in particular Frankie Beverly and Maze. The title of his show at Capital Radio coined the Soul Spectrum tag used for a series of soul collection CDs. He left Capital Radio in 1987, worked at Sunset Radio, Manchester from 1990 - 1992 and returned to the airwaves in 1994 with the Bridge on Jazz FM (UK) where he worked until leaving for Capital Gold. He has been a guest DJ at the Caister Soul Weekender events held twice each year. He was one of the DJs at the inaugural 'National Soul Weekender' in 1979. He has lived in Hampshire since 1995. His hobbies include gardening, studying architecture, history and ten-pin bowling. In 2014, Edwards was rated as number 5 in the magazine Blues and Soul's Poll of The Most Essential Black Music DJs of the past 40 years.

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