Graeme Edge was born on March 30 1941 in Rocester, Staffordshire. When he was only about six months old his family moved to Birmingham. His mother played piano as accompaniment to silent movies. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all sang in music halls. He had originally planned to become a draughtsman, although he managed a group called the Blue Rhythm Band. When the Blue Rhythm Band's drummer quit, Graeme Edge would up playing drums for the group for three weeks until they got a new drummer.
Graeme Edge formed the band The Silhouettes. He later co-founded Gerry Levene and The Avengers. Gerry Levene and The Avengers recorded one single for Decca, "Dr. Feelgood"/"It’s Driving Me Wild." The group also appeared on the British TV show Thank Your Lucky Stars. It was after Gary Levene and The Avengers broke up that Graham Edge formed The R&B Preachers, which included future Moody Blues members Denny Laine and Clint Warwick. After The R & B Preachers broke up, Messrs. Edge, Laine, and Warwick formed the M & B 5 with Ray Thomas. The M & B 5 were soon renamed The Moody Blues.
The Moody Blues signed with Decca Records in 1964. Their second single, "Go Now," was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Unfortunately, following singles did not perform as well. In 1966 Clint Warwick not only left the band, but the music business entirely. Later in the year Denny Laine also left. It was in late 1966 that John Lodge and Justin Hayward joined the band, establishing the classic line-up of The Moody Blues.
The Moody Blues would release a series of success albums, including Days of Future Past, In Search of the Lost Chord, On the Threshold of a Dream, A Question of Balance, To Our Children's Children,. Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, and Seventh Sojourn. As a poet, Graeme Edge provided the poems "Morning Glory" and "Late Lament" for Days of Future Past, "Departure" and "The Word" for In Search of the Lost Chord, "In the Beginning" and "The Dream" for On the Threshold of a Dream, and others. He also contributed songs, such as "Higher and Higher" on To Our Children's Children.
In 1974 The Moody Blues took an extended break. Graeme Edge then formed the Graeme Edge Band. The Graeme Edge Band released two albums: Kick Off Your Muddy Blues in 1975 and Paradise Ballroom in 1977.
The Moody Blues reformed in 1978. The band returned with the album Octave, to which Graeme Edge contributed "I'll Be Level with You." The Moody Blues released several more albums. Graeme Edge contributed such songs as "22,000 Days" to Long Distance Voyager, "Going Nowhere" to The Present, and "Nothing Changes" to Strange Times.
In the Eighties he worked from time to time with the jazz combo Loud, Confident and Rong.
As a drummer Graeme Edge was very precise. He was also versatile, He went from the R&B influenced sound of the early Moody Blues to the progressive rock sound of the band's later years. In addition to drums he also provided The Moody Blues with a variety of percussion instruments, including tambourine and timpani. He even occasionally played piano. On top of being an excellent drummer, he was also a great poet, even reciting his own poems from time to time. "Morning Glory" and "Late Lament" remain highlights of Days of Future Past. It seems likely that The Moody Blues would not have been as successful as they were without Graeme Edge.
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