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Purple family remembers Tony Edwards
Funeral for the late Tony Edwards was held in London on November 18th with Jon Lord and other luminaries in attendance. DPAS has a full report.
The reaction across Purple family has been overwhelmingly appreciative of Tony’s role in the life of the band.
A few days ago – fittingly, on Remembrance Day – I lost a friend. He was my manager from 1968 to 1976, my daughter Sara’s Godfather and the man who was instrumental in helping me to realise, in 1969, the dream which defined my musical life – that of a Concerto for Group and Orchestra.
Tony Edwards was a good man and a man also of deep-seated enthusiasms. He had a passion for, and a great interest in, Deep Purple and its various member’s careers, as well as a genuine enjoyment of the band’s music.
He was the reason that Richie and I were able to get together at the end of 1967 and the sole reason too for our being able to form the band that changed our lives. Without him and this early financial and emotional support, there would have been no Deep Purple.
He was a rock and a firm foundation on which we could build our musical house. It still stands, and it stands as a monument to him.
Thank you Tony.
So very sad that my dear friend and Manager of Deep Purple, Tony Edwards has passed away, we have lost one of the Good Guys…
Tony was the driving force of Deep Purple’s management in the early days. My first impressions of him when I joined the band in July 1969 – a man of ideas, an intellect, a man of taste, a man of action. I remember him rubbing his hands together with enthusiasm and saying, “Now what can we achieve today?” He was the kind of man who could think of something and then turn it into reality with his drive and passion. It was his instinct to book the Albert Hall in order to stage Jon’s Concerto, an event that was to propel the band in more ways than one into the future. He also dreamed up the cover image of In Rock, the album that changed everything for us.
I am always grateful for his powerful contribution at the start of our long journey.My condolences go to his family.
Thanks to Andrey Gusenkov and Daniel Bengtsson for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Any reason why TMIB’s comments weren’t listed above?They were listed in a previous report on Tony’s passing So, here they are anyway ”WITHOUT TONY EDWARDS THERE WOULD BE NO DEEP PURPLE. With deepest respect – and with great sorrow- we honor Tony Edwards-who passed on Nov11, 2010.Tony was the man behind the scenes for Deep Purple–.
November 23rd, 2010 at 22:52He was instrumental to the existence and sustenance of the band and its music from its inception to present day.
.Tony’s insight and intuitiveness were unparalleled in the music business. He will be thought of often- and missed greatly”.
Mr Tony Edwards was a nice man. A kind and caring man. God bless him! He will be missed by many. R.I.P. My condolences go out to his family and friends.
November 24th, 2010 at 14:30Well,they said it all!Thank you very much Tony.
November 24th, 2010 at 15:31As a Deep Purple fan since 1971 I also need to say “thank you” to Tony for bringing the 5 people together. I cant imagine a life without the early Purple sound in my life.
November 24th, 2010 at 21:47Same situation as #4 Bo’s post
tnx much Tony!
Yor “work” is allready inscribed in PURPLE letters all over the world. And will stay FOREWER!
rest in peace.
November 25th, 2010 at 11:23