Man behind voice of AOL's 'You've got mail' greeting dies at 74

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Elwood Edwards, who voiced America Online's ever-present "You've got mail" greeting, has died. He was 74.

He died Tuesday at his home in New Bern, North Carolina, said his daughter Heather Edwards. The cause was complications from a stroke late last year, she said.

Edwards taped his AOL greeting in 1989 into a recorder while sitting in the living room of his home. "You've got mail" became a pop culture catchphrase in the late 1990s and served as the title of the 1998 Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan film.

"He would still blush anytime it brought up," his daughter said. "He loved the attention, but he never got used it."

He was also the voice of AOL's "Welcome," "Goodbye" and "File's done" messages. He made $200 from the recordings.

While few people knew his face, his voice was heard by millions of people each day. He did appear on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in 2015 to repeat the famous catchphrase.

Edwards first worked in radio and then moved into television. He had a brief stint as a weatherman and worked as an announcer, but mostly he spent his time behind the camera, Heather Edwards said.

Survivors include another daughter, Sallie Edwards; granddaughter Abbie Edwards; and a brother, Bill.

The family plans to hold a memorial service Monday in New Bern.

Originally Published: November 8, 2024 at 11:05 AM EST