Edwin Starr: Singer of the Anti-War Anthem War Dies at 61

Edwin Starr was an American soul singer best known for the 1970 protest hit "War." Born Charles Edwin Hatcher on January 21, 1942, in Nashville, Tennessee, he grew up in Cleveland and began recording in Detroit in 1965.

"War," written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, reached No. 1 in the U.S., sold more than three million copies and became one of the best-known songs of the Vietnam era. His other hits include "Twenty-Five Miles" (1969) and the disco single "Contact" (1979), a UK top 10.

Starr moved to England in the 1980s and settled in Nottinghamshire. He was inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2013. He died of a heart attack at his home in Nottinghamshire on April 2, 2003, at age 61.

Achievements: "War" (No. 1, 1970), "Twenty-Five Miles" (1969), "Contact" (1979).

Birth: January 21, 1942 - Nashville, Tennessee.

Profession: Soul singer.

Interesting Facts: His cousins include soul singers Roger and Willie Hatcher.