Editing Sherman Edwards (section)

==Early life==
Edwards was born in the [[East Harlem]] neighborhood of [[New York City]] and was raised in the [[Weequahic, Newark, New Jersey|Weequahic]] section of [[Newark, New Jersey]], where he attended [[Weequahic High School]].<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/533464688/ "Creator of Show ''1776'' Working on New Musical"], ''The News'', September 20, 1969. Accessed November 18, 2021, via [[Newspapers.com]]. "He was born in Harlem in the vicinity of 116th Street and Madison Avenue and began his education at the Hecksher Foundation for underprivileged children and attended PS III. Eventually he graduated from Weequahic High School in Newark, then worked his way through New York University by playing in the top bands of the day and often appeared in the 9 a.m. history class in a tuxedo."</ref> He attended [[New York University]], where he majored in history.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100613123607/http://bard.org/education/studyguides/1776/playwrights.html#.U55mKfl3LpE] </ref> Throughout college, Edwards moonlighted, playing [[jazz piano]] for late night radio and music shows. After serving in [[World War II]], Edwards taught high school history for a brief period before continuing his career as a pianist, playing with some of history's most famous [[swing band]]s and artists, including [[Louis Armstrong]], [[Tommy Dorsey]] and [[Benny Goodman]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/01/obituaries/sherman-edwards-61-composer-and-lyricist-for-1776-is-dead.html|title=Sherman Edwards, 61, Composer And Lyricist for '1776,' Is Dead (Published 1981)|work=The New York Times |date=April 1, 1981|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref>

He lived in [[Parsippany-Troy Hills|Parsippany, New Jersey]], from 1958 to 1981.<ref>Wallace, Ken. [https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/492224547/ "He wrote the play courageously and he won with ''1776''"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', May 21, 1972. Accessed November 18, 2021, via [[Newspapers.com]]. "Edwards, who makes his home in Parsippany, with his wife, Ingrid, son, Keith, 15, and daughter, Valerie, 18, sincerely believes that America's forefathers were great men and the Declaration of Independence is 'one of the greatest documents ever conceived by man.'"</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50080838/daily-record/ "Sherman Edwards, Composer Of ''1776''"], ''[[Daily Record (Morristown)|Daily Record]]'', April 1, 1981. Accessed November 18, 2021, via [[Newspapers.com]]. "Parsippany - Sherman Edwards, who conceived, composed, and wrote the lyrics of the Broadway hit ''1776,'' died Monday afternoon of a heart attack in a friend's home In New York City. He was 62, and lived on North Beverwyck Road, Boonton Manor."</ref>