L.A. Edwards was nominated Best Americana at the 2013 San Diego Music Awards. Featuring Julian-raised brothers Luke (vocals, guitar), Harry (drums), and Jay Edwards (keys), along with Alex Vo (lead guitar), they released True Blue in 2017. It went on to generate nearly half-a-million streams independently and was named “flat out amazing” by No Depression. It led to performances with The Beach Boys, Jefferson Starship, Amanda Shires, and The White Buffalo, as well as appearances at Pilgrimage Festival, Bumbershoot, Kaaboo, FloydFest, and AmericanaFest.
Their album Blessings From Home Volume 1 dropped in December 2020 via a record label founded by Bitchin’ Sauce. “The band imparts graceful Laurel Canyon songcraft on groove-driven rock with sun-soaked twang,” according to their press release for the album. The confessional and personal nature of the tracks are evident in song titles such as “My Heart Broke,” “Nothin’ Like You,” and “What You Mean To Me.”
Recording for Blessings From Home was done at Bear Creek Studio in Washington with producer Ryan Hadlock (Lumineers, Vance Joy, Foo Fighters), drummer Steve Ferrone of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and San Diego bassist Ron Blair, another Heartbreakers vet who produced the 2017 L.A. Edwards album True Blue at his home studio in Carlsbad.
"Working on this project renewed my faith in recording with a live rhythm section in the old school way," says Blair. "The songs are great, the sound is incredible. It’s great to work with talented people, and especially great when they are friends! I just had to remember that I was there to be a bass player, not a producer or another ‘chef’ in the kitchen."
The first single from Blessings From Home Volume 1, "Trouble," was heard on CW television series Walker, which created a custom music video for the track using clips from the show.
Blessings From Home Volume 2 was released in June 2021. Produced by Ryan Hadlock (Lumineers, Vance Joy) at Bear Creek studio, it includes a collaboration with local Ron Blair, the bassist for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers who produced the 2017 L.A. Edwards album True Blue at his home studio in Carlsbad. The mandolin-laced lead single “Saint Augustine” was released online.
Their full-length Out of the Heart of Darkness dropped in January 2023, preceded by the single “Let it Out” and a music video for the single “Already Gone." Another video was released for “Peace Be With You” (mixed by Grammy-winner Tom Lord-Alge), shot on warm 16mm film and featuring a gothic desert funeral.
Late 2023 found the band touring the UK/EU supporting Rival Sons on 30 dates, and then touring with Lucinda Williams in February and March 2024.
(Photo: Miller Hawkins)