Elwood Edwards, the beloved voice behind AOL's signature email alert “You’ve got mail!”, has died at the age of 74 at his home in New Bern, North Carolina. His daughter, Sallie Edwards, confirmed that he passed away due to complications from a stroke.

As the 1990s dawned, many Americans were just beginning to explore the vast potential of the Internet. During this transformative era, America Online (AOL) emerged as a titan in online communication. Edwards’ reassuring voice became a hallmark for countless users in offices and homes, offering a friendly greeting that signaled the arrival of an email—a delightful novelty at the time when spam was nearly nonexistent and notifications were limited.

Born on November 6, 1949, in Glen Burnie, Maryland, Edwards developed a passion for broadcasting early in life. He began his career in AM radio as a teenager and also worked at his local television station, WCTI, where he occasionally reported the weather. In the 1980s, his wife, Karen Edwards, encouraged him to audition for a voice-over role at her company, Quantum Computer Services, which would later evolve into AOL. He casually recorded greetings like "Welcome!" and "Goodbye!" using a simple cassette deck in their living room.

These recordings, particularly “You’ve got mail!”, quickly became iconic, cementing his voice in the cultural landscape even as AOL's dominance in the industry waned. The expression entered popular culture, inspiring the 1998 romantic comedy starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Edwards further extended his reach through guest appearances, lending his famous lines to shows like “The Simpsons” and promotions for companies like Shopify.

Beyond his work with AOL, Edwards also contributed to local news as a graphics guru and camera operator for 3News in Cleveland, Ohio, where he retired in 2016. His myriad contributions to media have left a lasting impact, making him a recognizable figure even among those who may not have known his name.

In addition to his daughter Sallie, Edwards is survived by his other daughter, Heather, his brother Bill, and a granddaughter. His legacy is not just in the notifications that once chimed on millions of computers, but in the way he helped bridge the gap between traditional media and the digital world, embodying the dawn of the Internet age in America.

Elwood Edwards will be remembered not only for his voice but also for the warmth and excitement he brought to our early experiences online. In a world increasingly dominated by impersonal notifications, his cheerful greetings remind us of a simpler time when the Internet felt like an adventure waiting to be explored.