ST. PETERSBURG - Good singers with stars in their eyes may not have to depend on the X-Factor or American Idol to make them famous. They may want to send their work to Bill Edwards, the St. Petersburg mortgage company mogul who also heads an entertainment company called Big 3.

"There are tons of people out there," says Edwards. "Everybody wants to be in the business, they just don't understand it yet."

Edwards turned the ground floor of his Mortgage Investors Corporation into a state-of-the-art recording studio. He opened his checkbook to an experienced studio engineer he plucked from a recording studio in Orlando.

"I said you have an unlimited budget. Go out and get everything you need to build a first-class, a number one studio," he says.

Edwards has promoted many live performances with famous names like Cheap Trick and Ben Vareen. But, he has yet to record a big nationwide hit at his studio.

"We're always trying to create a hit or write a hit, or find the right artist for the right song," he explains.

Edwards says his goal is to win a Grammy.

"Bill is a visionary and an extremely outgoing personality," says Ferras, a 22-year-old singer and songwriter who came from Los Angeles to record here. Edwards is 66 years old, but he says it doesn't mean much.

"It's just a number on a paper. It could be 12 or 16 or 17," he says. Edwards' new baby is 7 months old. He says he's enjoying being a new father. His children from a previous marriage are grown.

Edwards says he's always liked all kinds of music. But what happened in the Vietnam War opened a new chapter in his musical awareness. He was a young Marine who was wounded by a mine explosion and sniper fire that followed. He found himself alone in a hospital room.

"So, I grabbed a guitar and started playing it. That's what I spent most of my time doing when I wasn't being operated on or treated."

Later, Edwards found his fortune in the mortgage business. His company, Mortgage Investors Corporation, made more than $4 billon in Veterans Administration loans last year.

Edwards remembers a big guy named Mike Lynche who worked for his mortgage company. At the time, Edwards didn't know that Lynche could sing. Then, he saw "Big Mike" perform on American Idol. "I went wow, we missed that one."

Edwards says he won't miss "Mike" again. The Idol runner-up and St. Pete native is now recording a new album at Edwards' Big 3 studios.

"And the fact that we can come home to record and not have to be in New York is a dream come true," Lynche said.

Edwards recently agreed to purchase St. Pete's troubled Baywalk shopping and entertainment complex for a reported $5.2 million dollars. He already owns The Club at Treasure Island, hosting big-name entertainers for live performances.

Story Published on 9/28/11 on http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/entertainment/music/st.-petes-music-mogul-09282011

Excerpt from tbt*'s Sound Check:
In April, tbt* published its fifth annual Ultimate Local Music Guide, featuring 10 of Tampa Bay’s top bands and artists. As always, the guide came with a contest: The artist receiving the most fan votes at tbt.com would win $1,000 worth of recording time at Big3 Studios in St. Petersburg.

This year’s champs were 10th Concession, a pop-rock group from Tampa led by brothers Ian and Evan Koteles. With their prize, they holed up and recorded a new single, Say OK, a polished, piano-based track reminiscent of Jack’s Mannequin. They’ll premiere it during a single release party on Friday at the Amphitheatre in Ybor City. The show is at 9, and the cover is free. Click here for details.

Excerpt from tbt*s Sound Check Full article here.

Here is a letter of gratitude to our chief engineer, Jim "Pinky" Beeman, for his work on their project.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast and Big3 Records have joined forces to create a powerful song and video in honor of the three St. Petersburg Police Officers, lost in the line of duty – homage to our Fallen Heroes, and a fundraiser for the officers’ families.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 26, 2011 – Saint Petersburg, FL – Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast and Big3 Records have joined forces to create a powerful song and video in response to the three slain St. Petersburg Police Officers, as homage to our Fallen Heroes, for the healing of the community and a fundraiser for the officers’ families.

“Let’s Get Together” is an edgy, soulful ballad that drives home the powerful emotions evoked from the tragic deaths of three Saint Petersburg Police Officers. Singer, songwriter and national recording artist LX who wrote the inspirational song after, Herbert A. Murphy, Director for the Royal Theater Boys & Girls Club Arts Academy, and he met with 60 students to discuss the recent tragedies. The student’s share their disbelief that these crimes happened just blocks away from where many of them live. After the discussion, they were lead in a moment of silence to remember the fallen officers. “During that moment I was compelled to take these emotions and grieving thoughts and put them on paper”, LX said.

“All of us at Big3 Records have friends and family affected by this tragedy,” says Bill Edwards, owner of Big3 Records. “We felt a strong need to help by doing what we do best (making music), and giving the profits to local Charities. It’s turning out to be one powerful-uplifting song and music-video”

“Let’s Get Together” begins with an emotional appeal for change and it gradually builds into a towering anthem, with the voices of 60 children ages 5-18 from the Boys & Girls Club joining in for the poignant lines: “Take my hand come together, heal the hurt, love each other, live in peace and harmony, let’s get together you and me”, “Let’s Get Together” lyrics combines expressions of deep pain over the deaths with hope in the healing efforts, “I know I can’t do it alone, please be my hope, just be my hero”.

All proceeds from every download of this emotionally charged “St Petersburg Community Originated Anthem” will go directly to local charities assisting the families of St. Petersburg Police Officer Jeffrey Yaslowitz, Sgt. Tom Baitinger and Officer David Crawford.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast, whose mission is to inspire and enable all young people living in Pinellas County, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The goal is to prevent such tragedies through teaching children the value of life and community. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast is proud to support and assist our local community by providing this song as a message of healing and hope.

By downloading this song, you will be assisting in the support of the officer’s families – and have a moving and memorable piece in your music collection.

Click here to preview and purchase on iTunes.

10th Concession is 4-piece group of songwriters and musicians with an extraordinary breed of radio-friendly alternative pop-rock. Consisting of brothers Evan & Ian Koteles on guitar, bassist Matt Brady and drummer David Daniels, 10th Concession has made the rounds performing over 200 shows in 2010.

Congratulations 10th Concession! Can’t wait to work with you at Big 3 Studios!
Update to follow!

TBT*
10th Concession

For more information, visit: http://contests.tampabay.com/ulb2011/

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