Edwin Birdsong

An underrated organist, Edwin Birdsong worked with numerous artists in varied musical situations. His background was in gospel; Birdsong was the son of a minister and grew up in a strict fundamentalist environment. He joined the Los Angeles Community Choir, where he met such artists as Merry Clayton, Billy Preston, and D.J. Rogers, and eventually served in Vietnam. Birdsong later played in clubs in Germany, entertaining service personnel. After moving to New York, he headed a trio that played blues and jazz. Birdsong attended the Manhattan School of Music and Juilliard as a co...