Originally published February 16, 2020, in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
By Sean Clancy | Reprinted with permission
On Monday, Arkansans will celebrate George Washington’s Birthday and Daisy Gatson Bates Day.
Another person will also be honored.
In Little Rock, Feb. 17, 2020, is officially TC Edwards Day after a proclamation made last week by Mayor Frank Scott Jr.
Terry Charles “TC” Edwards was a Little Rock heavy metal musician who performed with TC and the Eddies, TC and the Ponies and The Piranhas. He was found shot dead in an abandoned house on Howard Street early on Dec. 7, 2014.
Monday would have been his 49th birthday.
The proclamation was spearheaded by Mike Poe, a Little Rock events and film producer.
Poe and Edwards first met as students at Pulaski Heights Junior High School, and they became close friends in their early 20s while working together at Pizza D’Action.
“He was my everyday best friend and brother,” Poe says. “I was closer to him, I think, than I have ever been with anyone.”
Scott, in his proclamation, encourages “Little Rock residents to join me in remembering the talent and spirit of this musician who loved to share his talents and passion for music with audience members and friends.”
Naturally, any day honoring Edwards has got to have some rock ’n’ roll.
Singer-songwriter Adam Faucett and Brett Campbell of heavy metal band Pallbearer will perform at 9 p.m. Monday at Pizza D’Action. There’s no cover charge, but Poe says donations of $5 are requested.
Edwards’ killing remains unsolved.
“Right now, there is no official suspect in TC’s murder,” says Poe, who adds that a cold-case detective has recently gotten involved with the investigation. “We’re gathering more information, forensics and evidence.”
A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Edwards’ killer, says Poe, who is also directing and producing the documentary film TC & Me: A Little Rockumentary.
Poe contacted the mayor’s office in early January to make a proclamation request. He kept checking in via email, and after a few weeks learned that it was going to happen.
“When I first got the email back from the mayor’s office, I had tears of joy. I was so proud of my mayor, of my city, of everyone on his team. … The way they wrote it, it honors [TC] in so many ways. I was brought to another level of gratitude that I did not know existed.”
