El Dorado backer, Renaissance man Alderson dies

Edwin Boyd Alderson Jr., a former El Dorado lawyer, judge and philanthropist who devoted himself to the success of his hometown and who led a separate life as a cowboy and country-western singer, died Thursday at his home after complications from lung cancer. He was 77.

Alderson, a sixth-generation resident of Union County, was a former attorney with Murphy Oil Corp., where he befriended Bill Nolan Jr., who passed away in 2012. In 1969, the men formed the law partnership of Nolan and Alderson and began a lifetime of friendship and business partnerships that included radio, banking and real estate.

In 1972, Alderson was elected Union County municipal judge, where he served for 20 years. In 1991, he was appointed as a special chief justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court. He served on the Arkansas Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee from 1992 until his death, at which time he was the group’s chairman.

It was the mixture of Alderson’s love of his hometown and his obsession with music that organizers ultimately credit for the creation of El Dorado’s Murphy Arts District — a $100 million plan to transform El Dorado into a regional draw for arts and entertainment.

The grand opening for the project’s first phase — an outdoor amphitheater, an upscale restaurant and a 2,500-seat indoor concert venue — was held last month.

Alderson was in the hospital and unable to attend the four-day celebration. At a banquet held the night before the opening, Murphy USA Chairman Madison Murphy said he purposely chose Alderson — who was viewing the event through Skype — to honor last in a list of those who contributed to the district’s success so he could truly articulate Alderson’s contribution.

“We’ve been working on this for six years, side-byside with Edwin. Most of us, if not all of us, would get discouraged and say, ‘We can’t pull this off,’” Murphy said. “Edwin, in his unfailing enthusiasm, would keep us all going. He’d say, ‘Oh yeah, we can do this! Sure we can!’

“I told everybody, I am of the opinion nobody would be sitting in this room if it had not been for Edwin Alderson. He was the quintessential optimist. He was a fascinating, charming prince of a human being.”

Austin Barrow, an El Dorado native who was handpicked by Alderson to be the Murphy Arts District president and chief operating officer, said Alderson was El Dorado’s “biggest cheerleader.”

“Without his passion and leadership, the Murphy Arts District would never have come to reality,” Barrow said. “We are now all without his kindness, stewardship and compassion for which he will always be remembered. His presence will always be felt, and his absence will never be filled.”

Six years ago, Alderson and his wife, Diane, traveled to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland to donate his vast collection of 45 RPM records. He had a 15-minute meeting with the organization’s president, Terry Stewart, and persuaded him to go to El Dorado with him.

The two became fast friends, staying up all night on occasions, drinking and listening to one record after the next. Alderson eventually recruited Stewart to become chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the Murphy Arts District.

“His playlist in his house was enormous, from the 1940s up to current-day stuff,” Stewart said. “He was a savant when it came to lyrics. You should never get into singing something with him because he would bury you.”

Alderson and Nolan started a band in their 60s and played at parties and while on vacation together.

In a 2012 El Dorado NewsTimes article, Alderson said, “It was always tongue-and-cheek and we knew we weren’t really good, but we acted like we thought we were great.”

His stepson Jeff Nolan, the son of Bill Nolan, called Alderson “El Dorado’s own Renaissance man.”

Jeff Nolan said his stepfather led a double life as a cowboy and would often disappear to New Mexico and Arizona for long trail rides, where he provided entertainment around the campfire and did double duty as the bartender.

“He was an avid horseman, but he mainly rode a mule. He could bring the church and he could bring the fun, which he always did,” Jeff Nolan said. “Maybe most importantly, he saw the best in everybody and was a trusted adviser and friend to many, many people of all walks of life.”

Alderson