Bobbie Roberson Edwards
This writer happened onto this story by accident. Let me tell you about a delightful lady in our community that is a singer. A singer of Country Music, a singer of Gospel songs. A voice that will stun anybody that cares to listen.
A God given talent..........................
Mrs. Bobbie Roberson Edwards has worked at Brewton Medical Pharmacy for the past forty some odd years. She is as sweet as frosted tea for Sunday Dinner, extra sugar please. Almost too shy to give her incredible story, but allows it to be shared here. She sat with me at David's Catfish House in Brewton one recent afternoon to let me jig her memory for this story. After our "Howdy Dos" and hugs and "Gudeats" were ordered we got right to the business of the interview. With help from her husband Leroy to confirm dates and details to the long ago beginnings of her singing career, Bobbie smiled and dialed the phone to ask questions from her husband that I had asked of her.
For how I found Bobbie, I happened to see a Facebook post from Brewton Medical Center Pharmacy where Bobbie works. My interest was piqued. I scrolled through to see a picture of Bobbie in her western attire all cowgirled up with hat and a smile. I thought, " This post needs to be looked closer at ". I googled the YouTube videos to listen to a voice that stunned me. Had I not seen Bobbie in pictures, I would never have believed the voice fit the picture. I left a message on the Pharmacy board. A message came back to say Bobbie would contact me ASAP. She did and here is the story I promised.
Bobby was born in East Brewton in 1949 in the woods ( her words) behind the fire tower on Ridge Road. One of five girls and one boy, Bobbie was the only Roberson sibling that sang. She shared that she cannot remember not singing. She did share that her Mother would ask her to be quiet at times because the singing was so constant. Bobbie said,
" I just had to sing".
As a very young child, Bobbie said she remembers an old white man coming to their house to play his guitar and sing country songs. The only name remembered for the man was, Mr. Bonnett. Bobbie said she would sit on the floor at Mr. Bonnetts feet to listen to him sing and play that guitar. She always loved Country Music and wanted to learn how to play the guitar. She watched Mr. Bonnett's fingers pick the strings to make the sounds. She wanted to do that. She wanted to sing Country Music and play a guitar.
The singing, the guitar playing beautiful music stayed with the little girl. Something about the sounds of the guitar combined with the voice singing those country songs was drawing Bobbie in.
Bobbie kept watching and mentally playing those guitar picking finger moves.
She said she would move her fingers on invisible guitar strings like she had seen Mr. Bonnett do.
Bobbie could hear music that others could not.
Bobbie begged her Mama for a guitar. About the age of about eleven years she got one. She practiced playing the guitar until her fingers would bleed, but with practice and time her finger tips toughened and she learned to do what she had seen Mr. Bonnett do.
" That old white man could play some Country Music."
Bobbie said she loved listening to Elvis Presley songs on the radio and shared, " I could dance to Elvis, oh my goodness I loved his singing".
Bobbie sang along with the radio...........
That was the moment in this interview when Bobbie said, " I love Rock-n-Roll and Country music, I'm old school with my music.
We both agreed 100% on that statement.
Bobbie attended school at Southern Normal in Brewton to graduate in 1966.
While attending school Bobbie had a classmate from New York that was boarding in the dorms at Southern Normal. His name was Franklin Edwards. Franklin sang. Bobbie and Franklin had a connection through singing. After finishing school Bobbie's sister married Franklin and moved with him to New York City. Bobbie went to visit her sister and met Franklin's brother Leroy.
Bobbie and Leroy fell in love...........
The Roberson sisters from Brewton were now married to the Edwards brothers from New York City.
The Edwards brothers sang together as a duet called, The Founders. Bobbie started singing with the brothers because she loved to sing. Soon she joined the brothers and the Founders were now a trio. The Founders sang all over New York City and the surrounding region for a number of years until Bobbie became a mother to her son. Her Southern heart longed for home. She begged Leroy to take her home to Brewton. She didn't want to raise her son in the chaos of the big city.
Bobbie and Leroy came back to Brewton to live and raise their son. Then a precious daughter was born to the pair. Thirteen years separate the Edwards son and daughter. Bobbie showed a smile filled with sunshine when she said.
" I have two wonderful children. My heart is blessed ".
Bobbie kept singing, it was in her heart and soul to sing.
One day in 1979 while shopping in Pensacola at Cordova Mall they noticed an event in the center of the mall where anyone was allowed to get on stage and " tryout" for a singing contest. Leroy encouraged Bobbie to go for it. She didn't really want to do it, but finally gave in and decided to sing. She ask the band if they could play the song, " Was Young Love born To Die". They could and Bobbie gave the crowd what they came for.
This writer had listened to several YouTube videos of Bobbie singing and playing her guitar to realize she sang like a female version of Charlie Pride. Being a person of color, she sings with a white girl voice.
I cautiously mentioned to Bobbie at the start of this interview that I think she sings with a female Charlie Pride voice. Bobbie responded with laughter and said,
"Everybody says that, you sing just like Charlie Pride".
We both agree that Charlie Pride is a favorite country music singer.
Paul Douglas, a Pensacola hotel manager, was the person in charge of the contest and when the crowd responded to hearing her voice, Paul knew something special was there. He connected her to get singing gigs in Pensacola, Atlanta and in Mississippi.
Bobbie always used the stage name Bobbie Roberson.
Bobbie fondly remembers singing on The Taylor Made Opry in Dothan and Radio Station WXBM in Milton.
As exposure to different venues gave her the opportunity, she was invited to sing on the Grand Ole Opry. The night she sang it was scheduled with Marty Robbins, Loretta Lynn, Patti Page and Charlie Pride.. Bobbie sang one of Loretta's songs that night. She saw Loretta but never got to talk to her. Bobbie never saw Charlie Pride that night.
In 1979 Bobbie played and sang at the Country Music Festival in Nashville. She is a CMA member and still draws a small royality from her music with BM Inc. Publishing. Her music is still played very well in the United Kingdom.
Leroy owns Bolovia Records.
On one of those YouTube videos Leroy sings with Bobbie that Everly Brothers heart throb song, "Let It Be Me" that will melt hearts. Bobbie's voice blends with the deep throaty voice of Leroy to give chills to the most musically discriminating ear. The kind of duet song that begs to be danced to and ends with a soft kiss.
Bobbie decided to stay in Brewton and raise her children. She still loves singing, but doesn't do any performances outside her beloved church, Apostolic Truth Tabernacle located on Kirkland Road north of Brewton.
Bobbie shares that in those early years she sang for the world, but now she sings for the Lord.
A special song she sings in church is,
" His Eye is on the Sparrow and I Know He Watches Me ".
Bobbie invited this writer to come hear her sing at her church and I plan to do exactly that.
Several of Bobbie's songs may be listened to on YouTube:
" I've Changed to Your Kind of Life". (playing guitar)
"Make Me Forget".
" Let it Be Me" . Duet with Leroy.
My advice for anyone reading this story is to watch/listen to Bobbie sing her songs on YouTube. You will be blessed.
