Edwin Birdsong

• Name — Edwin Birdsong • Birth Name — Edwin L. Birdsong • Born — 22 August 1941 • Birthplace — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Died — 21 January 2019 • Place of death — Inglewood, California, U.S. • Genre — * Funk • soul • jazz • Occupation — * Singer • songwriter • record producer • musician • Instrument — * Vocals • keyboards • organ • Years Active — 1971–2019 • Label — * Polydor • Bamboo • Philadelphia International • Website — edwinbirdsong.com • Associated Acts — * Roy Ayers • Stevie Wonder • Funkghost

Birdsong was the son of a minister and grew up in a strict fundamentalist environment. He joined the Los Angeles Community Choir for a period before serving in the army during the Vietnam War era. While in the army, he was stationed in Germany. He went on to play in clubs in Germany, and then moved to New York City to pursue his music career. There he headed a jazz and blues trio but experienced little success. While in New York he attended the Manhattan School of Music as well as Juilliard as a composition major. In 1971 he signed a record deal with Polydor. Under Polydor, he issued his first two full-length albums, What It Is and Supernatural. Birdsong then issued one album for Bamboo, Dance of Survival, in 1975, and recorded Edwin Birdsong for Philadelphia International in 1979, which included the single "Phiss-Phizz". Birdsong also worked extensively with Roy Ayers, co-producing three of his albums and writing "Running Away" and "Freaky Deaky" with him. Birdsong slowly stopped making his own music but carried on playing session work for many well known artists including Stevie Wonder. Birdsong served as a mentor early in the career of hip-hop artist/producer Funkghost.

• What It Is (1971, Polydor) • Supernatural (1973, Polydor) • Dance of Survival (1975, Bam-Boo) • Edwin Birdsong (1979, Philadelphia International) • Funtaztik (1981, Salsoul)

• Year — Song — US R&B • 1973 — "Rising Sign" — — • "Turn Around Hate (Communicate)" — — • 1975 — "Dance of Survival" — — • 1978 — "Kunta Dance" — — • 1979 — "Phiss-Phizz" — — • "Cola Bottle Baby" — — • "Lollipop" / "Freaky Deaky Sities" — — • 1980 — "Rapper Dapper Snapper" — 65 • 1981 — "Funtaztik" — — • 1982 — "She's Wrapped Too Tight (She's a Button Buster)" — 55 • 1984 — "Perfect Love'n" — — • 1985 — "Too Good to Go (When You Get It Right)" — — • "Son of a Rapper Dapper Snapper" — — • 1986 — "For My Self" — — • 1987 — "Percolator" — — • "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Edwin Birdsong is recorded with the occupation record producer. Recorded with the occupation jazz musician. Classed in the genre funk. Recorded as record producer, musician, organist and keyboardist.