Joan Edwards

American singer, pianist and composer. Born : February 13, 1919 in New York City, New York. Died : August 26, 1981 in New York City, New York. She was married to violinist Julius Schacter. She is the daughter of German-American music publisher and long-time vaudeville talent agent and song-plugger Ben Edwards. She is the sister of songwriter Jack Edwards and niece of songwriters Gus Edwards and Leo Edwards. Vaughn Monroe recorded a song written by siblings Jack and Joan called "And So It Ended". She spent five years on the Your Hit Parade, becoming one of America's most popular singers.Her family had visions of her becoming a famous concert pianist, and had her study at the piano for thirteen years with George Gershwin's teacher. But the desire to sing, and the lure of bright lights proved to be more important to Joan. While majoring in music at Hunter College, she landed herself a singing-piano program on a local New York station. He combination of singing and playing the piano caught the ear of Rudy Vallee, and Rudy signed her for his weekly radio show. Joan stayed with the Vallee band for several months, appearing with Rudy at theatres and night clubs.Next came her own Girl About Town program over the Columbia Broadcasting System. Paul Whiteman was impressed with her talent that he signed Edwards for his commercial radio program, spending two years touring the country, playing theatres, hotels, and appearing as soloist at Whiteman concerts. In November 1941, Joan joined the Your Hit Parade TV program, on which her skills proved to be a favorite, singing with Frank Sinatra, Barrry Wood, Lawrence Tibbett, Jack Teagarden, Johnny Mercer, and numerous others. Edwards had her own program, The Joan Edwards Show, on the DuMont Television Network in 1950. The 15-minute program was broadcast on Tuesday and Thursday nights. She charted as a songwriter but never as a singer. In 1956 Doris Day sang her song "Let It Ring" (co-written by Lyn Duddy) and it rose to #51 in the U.S.