George Edwards

Professor George W. Edwards (November 5, 1948 – May 28, 2009) was the director of bands for Prairie View A&M University. Edwards was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on November 5, 1948 to George and Beulah Edwards. He was baptized at Second Missionary Baptist church by Rev Paul A. McDaniels and served faithfully until leaving to attend Florida A&M University, (FAMU) Tallahassee, Florida. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music (1970) and he joined Kappa Kappa Psi band fraternity (1969), and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. While at FAMU, he played as part of famed Marching 100, performing under the legendary Dr. William P. Foster, where he received a number of distinctive awards and opportunities; some of which were his selection as Student Arranger, the Outstanding Senior Award, and having his arrangements played by the Marching 100 at Super Bowl III. In the mid-1970s, he directed the jazz band at Kirkman Technical High School in his hometown of Chattanooga, where he frequently arranged popular pieces for his students. Mr. Edwards later received a Masters in Music Education from Michigan State University (1976). At Michigan, many of his marching band arrangements were performed and recorded by the Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band. From 1975-1978 he traveled with Lansing Community College Suitcase Theater as Musical Director, touring the Netherlands, Germany, Wales, Scotland, Denmark, Belgium, and Japan. On January 1, 2009, George Edwards led the "Storm" in the 120th Tournament of Roses Association Rose Parade in Pasadena, CA where they were the first Black College Band to perform in the Rose Bowl's Parade pilot program to include bands from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the parade each year. In 1980, the Grambling Marching Band was the first HBCU band invited to the Rose Bowl Parade and the first HBCU band to lead the parade. He died following a car crash in Houston, Texas.