Elwood Edwards, the famous voice of the iconic “You’ve got mail’ AOL greeting passed away on November 5th at 74 years old.
According to his daughter, Heather Edwards, Elwood died from complications from a stroke that occurred late last year. He passed away in is home in New Bern, North Carolina according to Elwood’s daughter, Heather Edwards in an interview with AP (Seewer, Nov. 8th).
In 1989, Quantum Computer Services, later renamed AOL, would hire Edwards to record voice alerts used for their online service. This included the famous “You’ve got mail,” “Welcome,” “Files done,” and “Goodbye.” AOL would pay him $200 for the recordings. Edwards voice would soon become part of the era (AOL staff, Nov. 8th).
Edwards would later move to Ohio and work for WKYC, a Cleveland news station in 2002. He would retire in 2016. In 2015 he would appear on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. He would say some audience-requested phrases and would leave the stage to roaring applause.
Current AOL GM Brendan Jennings said “Elwood Edwards didn’t just lend his voice to AOL; he brought a sense of warmth, connection, and possibility to millions, his iconic ‘You’ve Got Mail’ became more than a greeting — it became a symbol of the online era. We are deeply grateful for the legacy and joy he brought to AOL and all those whose internet journey began with his voice.” (AOL staff, Nov. 8th).
Despite having over 35 million people hear his voice every day at its peak, he only got $200 off of the recordings.
