Musician, songwriter, engineer and producer JOHN RHYS EDDINS died on Sunday 27th August. He was aged 82 and had been battling lung cancer for some time.
Though unknown in the mainstream, Eddins (who sometimes worked as John Rhys or John Eddins) is revered for his behind-the-scenes work in the golden age of Detroit soul. Odd, maybe … you see John was born in rural Suffolk! However he relocated to the States at an early age and eventually pitched up in Detroit where he found a placement with Ed Wingate at the Golden World studios. In Detroit he worked with people like the Shades of Blue, The Dramatics and Edwin Starr. His biggest claim to soul fame however is his work on the Northen soul classic – Tobi Legend’s ‘Time Will Pass You By’. John co-wrote the song (one of Wigan’s legendary “Three Before Eight” with Dino George Fekaris and Nick Zesses).
If that was all he ever created that would be a fine legacy but many Detroit collectables bear his name while he also worked in the Los Angeles area – even releasing two singles in his own right.
