Eddie Floyd
The Stax songwriter whose anthemic soul classics, forged in collaboration, became the backbone of 1960s R&B.
Born 1937 (age 89)·American soul-R&B singer and songwriter·Birthday: June 25·The Silent Generation
Biography
Eddie Floyd’s voice is the sound of soul communion. While his own performances, like the eternally urgent 'Knock on Wood', are fixtures of the genre, his deeper impact was forged in the collaborative crucible of Stax Records in Memphis. There, alongside Booker T. & the M.G.'s and the Memphis Horns, Floyd co-wrote a catalog of songs that defined an era. He wasn't a solitary genius but a bandmate in the writing room, crafting hits for himself and others that were built on irresistible grooves and heartfelt, direct emotion. His work transcended the studio; 'Knock on Wood' alone has been covered by everyone from Otis Redding to Amii Stewart, becoming a global standard. Floyd’s career stretched from his early days in the doo-wop group The Falcons to decades of international touring, his presence a living link to the golden age of Southern soul.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Eddie was born in 1937, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Eddie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1937
#1 Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Best Picture
The Life of Emile Zola
Eddie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1937Born
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1942Started school
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1950Became a teenager
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Could drive
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1955Could vote
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Turned 21
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1967Turned 30
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 40
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 50
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 60
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 70
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 80
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 89 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Wrote and recorded 'Knock on Wood', a number one R&B hit in 1966 that has become a soul music standard.
- Co-wrote '634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)', a major hit for Wilson Pickett.
- Was a key songwriter and performer for the legendary Stax Records label during its 1960s heyday.
- Inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2015 for his foundational contributions to the city's sound.
Did You Know?
He was a founding member of The Falcons, an early R&B vocal group that also included Wilson Pickett for a time.
He wrote 'Knock on Wood' in a hotel room with Steve Cropper, finishing it in about 30 minutes.
He initially recorded a calypso version of 'Knock on Wood' before the iconic Stax arrangement was developed.
He continues to perform and record, maintaining a direct connection to the classic Stax sound.
“You gotta have that feeling. If you don't have that feeling, you might as well forget it.”
