Edwin Richard Eckstein (Eddie) was born in Johannesburg on 29 November 1939. He completed his (junior and high) schooling at Marist Brothers in Observatory.

He joined a banking group as a clerk for five years while moonlighting as a singer in his spare time. He cut his show-business teeth as a Rock 'n Roll singer with the Al Willox Quartet. He appeared on Rhodesian television regularly in die early sixties with Flippie van Vuuren's band and later joined the Jimmie Rayson Combo.