Screenshot of Elwood Edwards from an interview with AOL where he talks about how he became the iconic voice behind the company’s email alerts.
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Elwood Edwards – the voice that greeted millions of AOL users with “You’ve got mail!” When they opened their inboxes – he died on Tuesday. He was 74 years old.
WKYC Studios in Cleveland, where Edwards spent many years as a graphics instructor, camera operator, and general “jack of all trades.” He said The long-time employee suffered a “long illness.” WKYC Studios added that Edwards died one day before his birthday.
The Associated Press reported that he died at his home in New Bern, North Carolina.
Although Edwards’ cheerful, warm voice is now synonymous with the AOL Alert, the opportunity to lend his voice to the iconic phrase came largely by chance.
In 1989, Quantum Computer Services, later known as AOL, was founded I’m looking For a voice actor to help with alerts for his new show. Edwards’ wife was working there at the time, so Edwards heard about the opportunity. In his living room, Edwards recorded the songs “Hello” and “I’ve Got Mail!” and “Files Done” and “Goodbye” on a tape recorder. In return, he received $200.
Edwards’ voice has become one of the defining voices of the Internet revolution. Not only did he welcome new users to AOL, he often introduced them to the world of email for the first time.
“Edwards’ voice made AOL feel friendlier and more welcoming at a time when the Internet was a big, new world for most people,” AOL said in a statement. statement.
At the turn of the 21st century, AOL began to falter, partly because of its merger with Time Warner and partly because it failed to adapt quickly enough to the changing Internet landscape.
Edwards eventually moved to Ohio, where he went to work for 3News at television station WKYC in 2002. He retired in 2016. But his voice continued to appear in numerous sitcoms and films over the years, most notably the 1998 romantic comedy. You’ve got mail. In 2015, Edwards came out Tonight show With Jimmy Fallon to read some lines suggested by the audience.
“To really prove who you are, can you say the classic ‘I’ve got mail’?” Fallon asked.
“Hey! You’ve got a message!” Edwards replied. He smiled at the audience as they applauded him warmly.
