Bob Edwards Obituary

In the predawn hours of November 5, 1979, a team at NPR congregated in a studio at their Washington headquarters, preparing for the launch of a new show. The program had encountered significant challenges during its development phase, with criticism from some NPR member stations citing it as overly informal and commercial in earlier test runs. Urgent revisions were made, including the selection of new hosts. Among them was a rising star from NPR’s flagship “All Things Considered” show, known for his calm demeanor and a rich, husky voice deepened by years of smoking.

Embarking on a 30-day trial, the red “on-air” light illuminated. With these words, “Morning Edition” made its debut: “Good morning. Today is Guy Fawkes Day. Guy’s plot to blow up Parliament was discovered on this day in 1605. Today is the beginning of National Split Pea Soup Week, and it’s the debut of this program. I’m Bob Edwards.”

Bob Edwards, who passed away on February 10 at the age of 76, remained with “Morning Edition” for nearly twenty-five years, becoming an integral part of NPR listeners’ morning routines. His abrupt removal from the show by NPR in 2004 sparked a wave of protest from his devoted fans, with even statements appearing on the Senate floor.

Both Edwards’ lengthy tenure at NPR and the public outcry over his departure underscored his profound impact on public radio’s evolution from a niche medium to a cultural staple. His interviews on “Morning Edition” — totaling over 20,000 from 1979 to 2004 — served as a sonic chronicle for a generation, solidifying NPR’s reputation as a platform where guests could make news or elevate their visibility.

Edwards engaged with a diverse array of figures, from diplomats to scientists, artists to eccentrics, offering listeners a broad spectrum of voices and perspectives. His regular segments included conversations with personalities like Baxter Black, a former veterinarian turned cowboy poet, and the eloquent former Major League Baseball announcer Red Barber, who might discuss sports or wax poetic about the blooming dogwoods outside his Tallahassee home.

Edwards’s weekly exchanges with Barber, spanning nearly twelve years, became a beloved fixture of “Morning Edition.” The affable Barber affectionately dubbed Edwards “Colonel Bob” after the NPR host received an honorary title as a Kentucky Colonel.