A New Bern man whose voice propelled him to worldwide fame after he recorded AOL's email greeting, 'You've Got Mail,' has died.
More than 30 years ago, Elwood Edwards recorded four iconic lines for what was then a little-known company called America Online.
His wife, Karen, worked at the company that later became AOL, and in 1989, she overheard former CEO Steve Case discussing adding a voice to the upcoming AOL software.
She volunteered her husband, and Edwards recorded the phrases on a cassette deck in his living room.
El enjoyed the notoriety that brought throughout the years, and occasionally got an opportunity to revisit the fame, even years after AOL ceased to be – like in an “Audience Suggestion Box” segment on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Kimmel in March 2015.
Edwards worked in various behind-the-scenes roles in television newsrooms in several states. He recently retired from WCTI 12 in New Bern. He was 74.
