Elwood Edwards: The Man Behind AOL's Famous Voice

While many credit Steve Jobs and Dave Kalin for providing the iconic voice for early email services, it was actually Elwood Edwards who lent his voice to AOL, one of the most influential internet companies of the 1990s.

Elwood Edwards: An Unlikely Voice Actor

Long before he became a professional voice-over artist, Elwood Edwards was working on early internet initiatives at Apple. In 1988, while gaming email services and working as a Software Engineer on AppleLink, Edwards recorded sounds and dialogue that would later be used in America Online (AOL).

From AppleLink to AOL

As Steve Case of Quantum Computer Services and the team behind AppleLink were looking to expand the service, they joined forces with Apple. The collaboration led to the development of AppleLink Personal Edition, which eventually became America Online. In June 1988, Edwards recorded the first sounds for AppleLink 5.0. These recordings were later copied into AppleLink Personal Edition, all AOL public betas, and eWorld.

The Rise of AOL

The distinctive voice and the "whoosh" sound became an integral part of the AOL experience. However, in 1989, Steve Case replaced Edwards' voice with that of Dave Kalin for the final release version of America Online. Despite this substitution, the "whoosh" and "No Mail" sounds remained in AppleLink and eWorld until the end of these services.

Elwood Edwards Remains Unknown

Elwood Edwards worked hard behind the scenes and received his Apple salary for his work, but he remained largely unknown to the public. It wasn't until 1995, when Wired Magazine revealed his identity in an article, that he gained the recognition he deserved. The magazine also shared various gag sounds recorded by Edwards, allowing AOL users to replace the official voiceovers with more novelty sounds.

Edwards continued his career as a professional voice-over artist after his work with AOL, contributing to numerous advertisements and projects in the entertainment and technology sectors.

Conclusion

The man behind AOL's famous voice is Elwood Edwards, a true unsung hero of early internet history. His contributions to the development of America Online and the iconic sounds that defined the service have left a lasting impact on the technology world.

While Edwards may not have earned much recognition or royalties during his time at Apple and AOL, his voice continues to live on in the memories of millions of users who experienced the early days of the internet.

References

Columbia University Oral History Research Office. "Elwood Edwards" interview, 1996. ()