Jonathan Edwards is a consummate performer. Funny, warm, spontaneous, comfortable on stage and with an audience. He plays about 100 live dates a year, ranging from intimate listening rooms to large concert halls.

He's one hell of a singer, too. His throaty tenor is one of the most distinctive voices on record. With influences like Ray Charles and Tennessee Ernie Ford, Van Morrison and Otis Redding, James Taylor and Harry Belafonte, Jonathan Edwards has carved out a distinctive niche for himself in American song.

And he's no slouch as a songwriter, either. With 10 albums -- most self-penned -- under his belt, and a gold record on his wall (for his signature tune, the number-one hit "Sunshine").

Not to mention his reputation as a "musician's musician." "When I first started out, I used to go up to people and say, 'Can I be in your band?'" recalls edwards. "They'd say, 'What do you play?' I'd say, 'What do you need?'" Name another contemporary singer/songwriter who can boast of collaborations with Aerosmith and Emmylou Harris, Rod Stewart and Willie Nelson, The Allman Brothers and Mary-Chapin Carpenter, The Seldom Scene and Cheryl Wheeler.

There's no question that Jonathan Edwards has compiled an enviable track record, one of skill accomplishment and grace in the sometimes brutal world of the music business. And he's done it while keeping intact his sense of humor, ear for a strong melody and love of a beautifully crafted song.

Now Jonathan Edwards is back with his first album in five years, the confident, assured One Day Closer. From the leadoff doo-wop of "Everything Takes Time," to the gospel-inflected "This Island Earth" to the title track and the haunting "Chesapeake," One Day Closer showcases one of this era's finest singers in an accomplished, sympathetic and uncluttered musical setting.

"Last summer, at Christine Lavin's songwriters' retreat on Martha's Vineyard, I met Lloyd Donnelly, and we fell in musical love," says Edwards. "Lloyd is a tremendous musician, a bassist who played for years with r&b groups like the Manhattans. He and I started talking. I had this collection of songs sitting around, both new stuff and songs that had become staples of my live show. Lloyd and I decided to record at a little analog studio in upstate New York. Her helped me get that warm, tube-driven sound, that Elvis, Everly Brothers thing. When we had the tracks, we finished it up at Skyline in New York, which is a very high-tech place, where we transferred everything over to the digital domain."

With One Day Closer on the market, a series of nationwide tour dates on his calendar, and a musical play in the works (from which the song "Our First Kiss" was taken), Jonathan Edwards has a busy year to look forward to. "I've been a very lucky guy," he grins. "I've gotten to see it all -- black limos. . . red carpets. . . blue nights. . . green money. . . The thing is, I love my music, and at this point in my life it's very important to me that I manage my career on my own terms." If One Day Closer is any indication, Jonathan Edwards' career is in very good hands, indeed.