Elwood Edwards, the voice of AOL’s ‘You’ve got mail’ alert, dies at 74

Elwood Edwards, the voice behind AOL’s iconic “You’ve got mail!” alert, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 74 after a long illness. Edwards became the voice that welcomed millions of users to AOL in the early days of the internet, recording phrases like “Welcome,” “You’ve got mail!,” “Files done,” and “Goodbye” on a cassette recorder in 1989. His warm tone helped make AOL feel friendly and accessible as many people encountered email for the first time. Edwards earned $200 for his recordings, but his voice became emblematic of the digital era. Later in life, he worked at WKYC in Ohio as a graphics operator and retired in 2016. He continued to make appearances, including a 2015 feature on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, where he delighted the audience by reprising his famous line.

Source: NPR