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Chester A. Reynolds Award
Awarded in 2010
Don Edwards
Don Edwards is one of the most respected voices in Western music—a songster, historian, author, actor, accomplished guitarist, and yodeler whose work has preserved and celebrated the musical spirit of the American West. Known for his Santa Cruz signature guitar and unmistakable voice, Edwards has spent a lifetime breathing new life into cowboy songs, ballads, and forgotten frontier tunes.
A multiple award-winning recording artist, Edwards has earned eight Wrangler Awards from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, including the prestigious Chester A. Reynolds Founders Award. The Western Music Association has honored him five times as Male Performer of the Year and twice for Album of the Year. His 2003 project High Lonesome Cowboy earned a Grammy nomination, and his vocals appear on Nanci Griffith’s Grammy-winning folk album Other Voices, Other Rooms.
His commitment to cultural preservation runs deeper than performance. Edwards’ celebrated anthologies Saddle Songs and Songs of the Cowboy were placed in the Library of Congress—later remastered into a single release that won Best Folk/Traditional Album of the Year from the AFIM Indie Awards.
At heart, Don Edwards remains a storyteller and scholar of Western heritage. His musicology, deep historical research, and authentic touch have made him a beloved figure among working cowboys, music historians, Western artists, and generations of fans.
He lives with his wife, Kathy, and Smoky the Wonder Dog on their ranch near Hico, Texas.
Don Edwards is one of the most respected voices in Western music—a songster, historian, author, actor, accomplished guitarist, and yodeler whose work has preserved and celebrated the musical spirit of the American West. Known for his Santa Cruz signature guitar and unmistakable voice, Edwards has spent a lifetime breathing new life into cowboy songs, ballads, and forgotten frontier tunes.
A multiple award-winning recording artist, Edwards has earned eight Wrangler Awards from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, including the prestigious Chester A. Reynolds Founders Award. The Western Music Association has honored him five times as Male Performer of the Year and twice for Album of the Year. His 2003 project High Lonesome Cowboy earned a Grammy nomination, and his vocals appear on Nanci Griffith’s Grammy-winning folk album Other Voices, Other Rooms.
His commitment to cultural preservation runs deeper than performance. Edwards’ celebrated anthologies Saddle Songs and Songs of the Cowboy were placed in the Library of Congress—later remastered into a single release that won Best Folk/Traditional Album of the Year from the AFIM Indie Awards.
At heart, Don Edwards remains a storyteller and scholar of Western heritage. His musicology, deep historical research, and authentic touch have made him a beloved figure among working cowboys, music historians, Western artists, and generations of fans.
He lives with his wife, Kathy, and Smoky the Wonder Dog on their ranch near Hico, Texas.
