Elwood Edwards — prompting millions of AOL users to shout “You’ve got mail!” the voice greeted. They were dead on Tuesday when they opened their inbox. He was 74 years old.

WKYC Studios in Cleveland, where Edwards spent many years as a graphics guru, camera operator and “jack of all trades” in question The long-time employee was suffering from a “prolonged illness”. WKYC Studios added that Edwards passed away the day before his birthday.

According to the Associated Press, he died at his home in New Bern, North Carolina.

Although Edwards’ cheerful, warm voice is now synonymous with the AOL alert, the opportunity to lend his own voice to this signature phrase came about largely by chance.

In 1989, Quantum Computer Services, later known as AOL, was founded. looking For a voice actor to help alert his new software. Edwards’ wife was working there at the time, which made Edwards aware of the opportunity. Edwards recorded “Welcome,” “You’ve Got Mail!”, “Files Done” and “Goodbye” on a cassette recorder in the comfort of his living room. He received $200 in return.

Edwards’ voice has become one of the defining voices of the internet revolution. At AOL, he was not only greeting new users, but also introducing them to the world of email for the first time.

“Edwards’ voice made AOL feel a little friendlier, a little more welcoming, at a time when the internet was a big new world for most people,” AOL said. expression.

At the turn of the 21st century, AOL began to flounder, partly because of its merger with Time Warner and partly because it could not adapt quickly enough to the changing Internet landscape.

Edwards eventually moved to Ohio and began working at 3News at WKYC television station in 2002. He retired in 2016. But over the years, her voice continued to be featured in various sitcoms and movies, most notably the 1998 romantic comedy. You’ve got mail. In 2015, Edwards appeared The Tonight Show Join Jimmy Fallon to read some audience-suggested lines.

“Can you say the classic ‘You’ve got mail’ line to prove it’s really you?” Fallon asked.

“Welcome! You have mail!” Edwards replied. He smiled at the crowd applauding him.

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