Edwin Starr
His raw, shouting voice turned 'War' into a timeless anti-establishment anthem that defined a generation's protest.
1942–2003 (age 61)·American musician·Birthday: January 21·The Silent Generation
Biography
Edwin Starr, born Charles Hatcher, was a force of soul whose career bridged the smooth Detroit sound and the gritty, socially conscious funk of the 1970s. He first found success with the ballad 'Agent Double-O-Soul,' but his legacy was forged in collaboration with producer Norman Whitfield at Motown. Whitfield channeled Starr's explosive, unvarnished vocal power into a series of hard-hitting masterpieces. The pinnacle was 'War,' a song originally recorded by The Temptations. Starr's version, released as a solo single in 1970, transformed it into a cultural landmark. His furious, impassioned delivery made the abstract horror of conflict viscerally personal, capturing the anger of the Vietnam era. Though he later moved to England and continued performing, his name remains forever linked to that one monumental record—a protest song that never lost its relevance or its punch.
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.
Edwin was born in 1942, 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 Edwin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1942
#1 Movie
Bambi
Best Picture
Mrs. Miniver
Edwin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1942Born
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
1947Started school
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1955Became a teenager
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
1958Could drive
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1960Could vote
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Turned 21
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1972Turned 30
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 40
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 50
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 60
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2003Died at 61
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Key Achievements
- His 1970 single 'War' reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of the most famous protest songs in history.
- He scored a top-ten hit with the funk track 'Stop the War Now' in 1971.
- He had early success with the hit 'Twenty-Five Miles' in 1969.
- His music has been extensively sampled in hip-hop, most notably in 'The Way It Is' by Bruce Hornsby and 'This Is How We Do It' by Montell Jordan.
Did You Know?
He chose his stage name 'Starr' from a telephone directory, liking the ring of 'Edwin Starr'.
Before his solo career, he was a member of the Motown group The Futuretones.
He lived and performed in the United Kingdom for the last two decades of his life.
The famous 'War' recording featured The Funk Brothers and members of The Temptations on backing vocals.
“War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!”
