By Gary:
Here is a great Artist, great songs, a singer, song writer and piano player who left us far too early…
(February 17, 1922 — October 22, 1969)
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1958 / Ed Sullivan / It’s all in the Game /
Audio Tracks
1. It’s All in the Game/ MGM 12688/ August 1958/ #1 (6)
2. Love is all We Need/ MGM 12722/ November 1958/ #15
3A. Please Mr. Sun/ MGM 12757/ March 1959/ #11
3B. The Morning Side of the Mountain/ B side/ #27
4. My Melancholy Baby/ MGM 12794/ June 1959/ #26
5. I Really don’t Want To Know/ MGM 12890/ #18
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Born Thomas Edwards in Richmond, Virginia, Tommy Edwards was an R&B singer most remembered for his 1958, Billboard No. 1, “It’s All in the Game.” He sang his hitsong on The Ed Sullivan Show, on 14 September, 1958. The song was composed by the then-future U.S. Vice-President, Charles G. Dawes in 1912, as “Melody in A Major,” with lyricswritten in 1951 by Carl Sigman.
Edwards originally recorded and charted the song in 1951, but it only climbed to #18 on the chart. The better-known 1958 version was on the same record label (MGM) and backed by the same orchestraleader (Leroy Holmes), but with a different arrangement more suited to the rock and roll-influenced style of the time.
As well as topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the song also got to number one on the R&B chart, and in the UK Singles Chart. The single sold over 3.5 million copies globally, earning gold disc status. The gold disc was presented in November 1958. Edwards had a more modest hit with the follow-up, “Love is All We Need,” which climbed to #15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Edwards began performing in Richmond when he was nine. He made his first impact in R&B circles in 1946, writing “That Chick’s Too Young to Fry.” It was a sizeable hit for Louis Jordan. Edwards began recording for the Top label in 1949, and had his first hit in 1951 with “All Over Again” for MGM, a song that made it to #10 on the U.S.R&Bchart. When MGM heard his demo of it they gave him a recording contract.
Edwards later had another hit with a reworked song he had released in 1952, as “Please Mr. Sun” reached #18 R&B and #11 pop chart. His last chart tune was “My Melancholy Baby” in 1959.
Although Edwards recorded a number of other songs, none came close to achieving the same level of success, though several of his songs later became hits for other artists (such as “A Fool Such As I” by Elvis Presley, “It’s All in the Game” by Cliff Richard and The Four Tops, and “Morning Side of the Mountain” recorded by Donny and Marie Osmond).
He died after suffering a brain aneurysm in Henrico County, Virginia, at the age of 47. The liner notes of his 1994 Eric Records release The Complete Hits of Tommy Edwards claim his death was caused by alcoholism. While the two may be related, there is no confirmation of this. (wikipedia)
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Russ & Gary's "The Best Years of Music" 
Did you know that “Please Love Me Forever” was the “B” side of “It’s All In The Game” on the MGM label? No citation required because I have the original 45rpm single in the UK!! Charted at #61 in the US charts in 1958!!
Enjoy guys!!