A native of Chicago and the son of Daniel Robert and Minnie Belle Ostrander Edwards, he grew up in a home where music was important. His mother had attended Battle Creek College for eight years, where she had specialized in music. Upon completion of her program, she assisted Edwin Barnes, pioneer SDA music teacher and head of the music program at BCC, for three years (See biography for Minnie Ostrander Edwards Irwin).

Edwards completed a music diploma in 1925 at Washington Missionary College, now Washington Adventist University, studied at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, and then graduated from the University of Maryland with a master's degree in education.

He began his teaching career while a student at WMC. After teaching there for a year, following completion of his degree, he taught at Canadian Junior College, now Canadian University College, from 1926 to 1928. Edwards then taught at Southern Junior College, now Southern Adventist University, from 1930 to 1936, where he directed the band and orchestra, and then at Mount Vernon Academy in Ohio, from 1936 to 1944.

While at MVA, he let the school use his personal Hammond organ in the chapel. He also served as a lay evangelist in the area. Edwards subsequently taught at Sheyenne River Academy, now Dakota Adventist Academy, in North Dakota and at Sunnydale Academy in Missouri. He was residing in North Platte, Nebraska, at the time of his death.

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