Michael Edwards
Michael Edwards (1893–1962) was an American composer and musician, known for composing the 1937 hit "Once in a While". He was also a classical violinist, organist and music arranger. Edwards's most famous composition, "Once in a While", became a number one hit for Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, and later for Patti Page (1957) and The Chimes (1961). The song is now considered a jazz standard. None of Edwards's other songs achieved the popularity of "Once in a While", and he has been called "a perfect example of a one-hit composer". |
Birth and Death Data: Died 1962
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1937 - 1938
Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, songwriter
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | PBS-09776 | 10-in. | 11/2/1937 | Once in a while | Harriet Hilliard ; Ozzie Nelson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | BS-011363 | 10-in. | 7/21/1937 | Once in a while | Tommy Dorsey Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet | songwriter | |
| Columbia (U.K.) | CB8811 | 10-in. | 6/23/1938 | Fiamma d'amor | Carlo Buti | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Edwards, Michael," accessed January 21, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110095.
Edwards, Michael. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 21, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110095.
"Edwards, Michael." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 21 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Edwards, Michael, 1893-1962 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no95047178
Wikidata: Michael Edwards - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q6830079
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/106990721
MusicBrainz: Michael Edwards - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/a86a75ea-407c-4706-9ee0-a41e3aeba09d
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/363222 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/363222
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