The voice we woke up to’: Bob Edwards, longtime ‘Morning Edition’ host, dies at 76

Today, we lost Bob Edwards, a guiding light in journalism. His voice, a comforting presence in our lives, leaves behind a silence filled with memories. Bob’s legacy is not just in the stories he told, but in the hearts he touched. Farewell, Bob, your spirit and warmth will forever be missed and remembered.

Bob Edwards, the veteran broadcaster and longtime host of Morning Edition who left an indelible mark on NPR’s sound, has died. He was 76 years old.

NPR’s Susan Stamberg says Edwards’ voice became part of the morning routine for millions of Americans.

“He was Bob Edwards of Morning Edition for 24 1/2 years, and his was the voice we woke up to,” she says.

When listeners first heard that voice, they might have imagined a figure of great authority, an avuncular newsman dressed in a pinstripe suit. But that was not Bob Edwards.

He was the consummate newsman

Margaret Low started at the company in 1982 as a Morning Edition production assistant. Now CEO of WBUR in Boston, she served for three years as NPR’s senior vice president for news. She says Edwards always walked in the door right at 2:30 a.m., but he was casual.

“He was tall and lanky and wore jeans, and I think, if I remember right, was sort of pretty much always in an untucked flannel shirt.”

Low says Edwards’ seeming casualness belied a seriousness — about radio, about the news and especially about the art of writing. Like several of his contemporaries at NPR, he studied writing at American University with former CBS journalist Ed Bliss.

“He used to say that Ed Bliss sat on his shoulder as he wrote,” Low recalls.

In fact, Edwards’ Washington, D.C., office overlooked CBS News.

… he sort of set the bar for how we approach stories, because he would convey these stories with a kind of simplicity but also with real depth, and make sure that they somehow resonated. And that’s lasted.

I have this total image of Bob sitting in his office on M Street and it would be dark outside because it would be the middle of the night, and he faced the window over CBS News,” Low says. “And he would be typing on his manual typewriter with these really, really big keys, and they would go click, click, click, and behind him you would hear … the AP and Reuters wires.”

Edwards, Low says, was the consummate newsman.

“He was a total news guy, and I think understood the news deeply,” she says. “And in some ways he sort of set the bar for how we approach stories, because he would convey these stories with a kind of simplicity but also with real depth, and make sure that they somehow resonated. And that’s lasted.”

‘Mr. Cool’ and Red Barber

Edwards started his career at NPR as a newscaster and then hosted All Things Considered with Susan Stamberg. She says their styles sometimes clashed.

“We had five good — if rocky — years together, until we sort of got one another’s rhythm, because he was Mr. Cool, he was Mr. Authoritative and straight ahead. I was the New Yorker with a million ideas and a big laugh. But we really adjusted rather well.”

Stamberg remembers Edwards for his humor, a quality that was often on display in his hundreds of interviews with newsmakers, authors, musicians and singers.

One of Edwards’ longest-running radio relationships was also one of his listeners’ favorites: his weekly conversation with sports broadcasting legend Red Barber.

Edwards eventually wrote a book about his radio friendship with Barber, the first of three he authored, including a memoir, A Voice in the Box: My Life in Radio.

Edwards’ approach helped set the tone for NPR

Edwards left NPR after the company decided to remove him as host of Morning Edition. Though his many fans protested mightily, Edwards closed out his last show on April 30, 2004. He ended his tenure just as it started, by interviewing one of his radio heroes, Charles Osgood.

“You were the first person I interviewed for Morning Edition, and I wanted you to be the last,” Edwards told Osgood on air.

Edwards went on to host his own interview show at Sirius XM Radio and continued to be heard on many public radio stations on Bob Edwards Weekend. But Margaret Low says his contribution to NPR will never be forgotten.

“He sort of set the tone and the bar for all of us,” she says. “He understood the power and the intimacy of our medium and captured the attention of millions and millions of people who are still with us today.”

Related Posts

What to Eat to Boost Energy After 60: Key Foods for Vitality and Well-being.

What to Eat to Boost Energy After 60: Key Foods for Vitality and Well-being.

When we grow older, it’s natural to experience a decline in energy levels. However, a good diet can make a big difference. After age 60, the body…

Firefighters killed by sniper after being lured to fire

Firefighters killed by sniper after being lured to fire

What began as a response to a small brush fire on Canfield Mountain in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, ended in a horrifying act of violence. Two firefighters were…

Little girl gets life-saving kidney operation thanks to her dad

Little girl gets life-saving kidney operation thanks to her dad

When Karen Rodas and Paul Rybkin’s son Nathaniel was born he lived for just 36 hours. He was born with a rare condition called Polycystic Kidney Disease…

Selfie taken by mom saves son from 99 years in prison

Selfie taken by mom saves son from 99 years in prison

Christopher “CJ” Precopia found himself at the center of a nightmare when he was falsely accused of a brutal attack against his ex-girlfriend. But a casual selfie,…

My Neighbor Tried Flirting with My Husband — She Didn’t Expect Me to Outsmart Her

My Neighbor Tried Flirting with My Husband — She Didn’t Expect Me to Outsmart Her

When a younger, newly divorced woman named Amber moved in next door, I sensed trouble. She was overly friendly, especially with my husband, Andy. At first, I…

Older Women Say This Position Relieves Back Pain

Older Women Say This Position Relieves Back Pain

As we age, certain things become harder to ignore—aching joints, stiff backs, and the quiet fading of intimacy. For millions of older women, these changes aren’t just…