**Elwood Edwards, Iconic Voice of AOL's "You've Got Mail," Passes Away at 74**

Elwood Edwards, the man whose voice greeted millions of America Online users with the iconic phrase "You've got mail," has died at age 74. Known for a recording that became synonymous with the early days of the Internet, Edwards' passing marks the end of an era that shaped the online experiences of countless individuals during the 1990s and early 2000s.

The story of Edwards’ memorable recording began in 1989, when Steve Case, then CEO of Quantum Computer Services (later rebranded as America Online), sought to humanize the company's Quantum Link online service. It was Karen Edwards, a customer service representative for Quantum and Elwood's wife, who suggested her husband's involvement. Elwood, a professional broadcaster, recorded the phrases “Welcome,” “You’ve got mail,” “File’s done,” and “Goodbye” into a cassette recorder in his living room, receiving $200 for his work.

Edwards' phrases quickly became embedded in the experiences of AOL users navigating the pioneering dial-up Internet service. His voice, announcing the arrival of new emails, became a comforting and familiar sound for those venturing online for the first time. During AOL's peak in the 1990s, it was one of America's largest internet service providers, making Edwards’ recordings a staple of the era.

Edwards' influence extended beyond the bounds of online greetings. In 1995, Wired Magazine's AOL forum playfully expanded his repertoire with humorous sound bites like "You want fries with that" and "You've got credit card debt," which remain preserved in the bowels of The Internet Archive. The "You've got mail" phrase even inspired the title of the 1998 romantic comedy starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, a film that grossed $250 million worldwide.

Throughout his later years, Edwards diversified his talents, working behind the scenes at WKYC in Cleveland as a graphics specialist, camera operator, and general production staff member from 2002. He enjoyed brief returns to the spotlight, such as a 2015 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he reprised his celebrated line along with new ones suggested by the audience.

Edwards' legacy as the voice of "You've got mail" endures. Even as he worked as an Uber driver before his death, the sound of his voice continued to greet users of AOL’s email service, sustaining a lasting connection to the dawn of consumer internet access.