Graeme Edge

Graeme Charles Edge (30 March 1941 – 11 November 2021) was an English musician, songwriter and poet, best known as the co-founder, drummer, and only constant member of the English band the Moody Blues. In addition to his work with the Moody Blues, Edge worked as the bandleader of his own outfit, the Graeme Edge Band. He contributed his talents to a variety of other projects throughout his career. In 2018, Edge was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.

Edge started his career as a musician in the Birmingham-based group Gerry Levene and the Avengers, having previously acted as a manager for Blue Rhythm Band in which he sat in on drums occasionally. Gerry Levene and the Avengers cover of Dr. Feelgood & The Interns "Doctor Feelgood" – released as a single in 1964 – was the recording debut of both Edge and future Move and Wizzard guitarist Roy Wood.

Born in Rocester, Staffordshire, Graeme Edge was one of the original members of the Moody Blues, alongside singer/guitarist Denny Laine, singer/bassist Clint Warwick, singer/keyboardist Mike Pinder and singer/flautist/harmonica player Ray Thomas. Edge provided a foundation for the original R&B and rock-flavoured band fronted by Laine, playing on all their Decca singles, including the UK chart-topping "Go Now" (January 1965) and other 1965 hit songs: "I Don't Want to Go On Without You", "Everyday" and "From the Bottom of my Heart (I Love You)", which were additionally released in that year.

After the departure of Laine and Clint Warwick and the later recruitment of Justin Hayward and John Lodge in 1966, the band continued initially to play the R&B-style material.

Edge became a poet for the band, contributing "Morning Glory" and "Late Lament" to Days of Future Passed in 1967 (narrated by Pinder). Edge himself opened In Search of the Lost Chord (1968) with his brief poem "Departure", though Mike Pinder narrated his "The Word" poem later on that set. Further poems provided by Edge included "In the Beginning" (co-narrated by Hayward, Edge and Pinder in turn) and "The Dream" (spoken by Pinder) for On the Threshold of a Dream (1969). Edge stated in 2018 that the reason most of his poetry was recited by Pinder was that Pinder, having smoked so many cigarettes and drunk so much whisky, had the best voice for it.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.