Jonathan Edwards

The year is 1971. The United States is entrenched in a costly, unpopular war. President Nixon is a mere caricature of himself, having recklessly blown his political capital. He's rapidly losing traction after a second-term "mandate," and the war isn't improving. Sound familiar? If so, odds are that the name of singer-songwriter Jonathan Edwards does too.

Edwards had a country-flavored folk hit that year called "Sunshine." It was a gold-record smash, in heavy rotation on AM radio back then; the song brought hope and optimism during the bleakest moments of the Vietnam era. Edwards has since supported Emmylou Harris, Don McLean, and B.B. King, hosted a PBS travel series, and produced folksinger Cheryl Wheeler.

By all accounts, "Sunshine" was the highlight of the reclusive Edwards' modest career. If the song still doesn't ring a bell, consult your copy of the Will Ferrell movie, Anchorman. That just might help jog your memory.