Tony Edwards

Tony Edwards (30 June 1932 – 11 November 2010) was an English business entrepreneur and manager of bands including Deep Purple, Toyah Willcox and Johnny Clegg.

Biography Edwards was born into an affluent family in the clothing industry in 1932, spent his childhood between London and Brighton. His Bar Mitzvah was celebrated at the Royal Pavilion. By the mid-1960s, Edwards found himself disillusioned with the clothing business. Concurrently working for his mother's company, he endeavored to secure a television appearance for Ayshea, a model-turned-singer, on the show Ready Steady Go! In 1966, he formed a connection with the show's producer, Vicki Wickham.

Through Wickham, Edwards encountered Chris Curtis, who left a lasting impression on him. In the subsequent year, Curtis reached out to Edwards, proposing that he take on the role of his manager, with the persuasive argument, "Brian is dead: you can be the next Brian Epstein," thereby suggesting a transition from the clothing industry to music management. Safari Records made headlines by signing Wayne County, a New York punk scene figure and transsexual artist, along with the British band The Electric Chairs. The group's release, the "Blatantly Offensive EP," soared to the top of the independent music chart.

The label also supported the punk band The Boys and their holiday-themed side project, The Yobs. Matt Dangerfield, the guitarist for The Boys, reminisced about Edwards as a remarkable figure from the classic era of the music business, recalling his distinctive appearance at a Marquee Club performance during the peak of the punk movement, clad in a tweed cape and deerstalker hat, reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes.

Under Edwards' guidance, the artist Toyah Willcox transitioned from an independent music favorite to being named the Best Female Singer at the British Rock & Pop Awards in 1982. Safari Records was known for its diverse and unconventional catalog, which included a punk-country rendition of Kenny Rogers' "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town" performed by Gary Holton, and "Scatterlings of Africa" by Juluka, a South African band notable for its racially integrated lineup, led by Johnny Clegg.

Death Edwards died on November 11, 2010 at the London Clinic, aged 78. At his funeral, the Deep Purple song, "You Keep On Moving" from Come Taste the Band was played, and Jon Lord represented the band.

Deep Purple guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore wrote about him:

"Tony was the man behind the scenes for Deep Purple. He 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. Without Tony Edwards there would be no Deep Purple".