Kevin Edwards

Kevin Edwards goes by several stage names, but whatever he calls himself, his show can be just plain fun. Returning recently to the St. Augustine area, he plays different genres under different monikers, always knowing how to work a crowd, modifying his playlist to suit his audience. When he left St. Augustine, he says that he "drove west until people liked my music," ending up in Texas.

With a vast catalog of original music, he varies from more traditional sounds to his own syncopation-meets-the-blues niche, and always loves to support the venues that support songwriters. Lending his winsome voice to upbeat lyrics and rhythms, we hear reflections of his life in a foot-tapping show that appeals to a wide audience.

Building and playing cigar box guitars, he has been showcased on National Public Radio's Guitar Gallery, and has sold hundreds of them over the years. A fretless, three-stringed variation of a diddley-bow, the instrument is typically played as a slide, sharing the sound of a blues guitar. Brought to attention by Paul McCartney when he played a resonator cigar-box guitar in a Nirvana reunion set, his slide drove the crowds wild.

In addition to building cigar-box guitars, Edwards offers private lessons on guitar, ukulele, bass, cigar-box slide, mandolin, and banjo. Since returning to St. Augustine, he had developed Guitar by the Sea, an opportunity for students to meet him at a beachside park to incorporate the ocean vibes into the lessons. Since it is St. Augustine, of course, he has a day job, where he can be found being a pro at a local golf club. Song-smith, guitar player, golfer, luthier, performer; a happy man is one who combines all of his favorite things into his days—and he whistles, too!