Ed Sweeney

Ed Sweeney performs a wide-ranging repertoire (Americana, Traditional Folk, Blues, Ragtime, Novelty Songs, Instrumentals and more) on 6-string guitar, 12-string guitar, 5-string banjo, and fretless banjo.  Ed has performed in theatres, coffee houses, schools, clubs, festivals, house concerts and at most every venue imaginable. His concerts and recordings have drawn accolades throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. 

Ed’s music is accessible to an incredibly diverse audience. His recordings have been heard on NPR as well as hundreds of radio stations and on-line networks around the world. His music is included in Ken Burns’ documentary Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony as well as Christian de Renzendes’s documentary Slatersville (Season 2). Ed’s music has been part of the soundtracks for television shows such as Northern Exposure and Briarpatch. Surprisingly his music has been playing in Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Disneyland Tokyo for years.  

Ed started playing guitar in high school. He took guitar lessons from the blind blues singer Paul Pena. Soon he was performing at local coffee houses. One night Ed was the opening act for Andy Cohen.  Andy, after the concert, took time to teach Ed traditional folksongs and guitar styles. This introduction ignited a passion to learn music that, as Pete Seeger used to say, “is well known by a few people.” 

Ed has spent his musical life honoring people and their histories by presenting music that entertains and educates. Through his musical expertise, breadth of knowledge, and wonderful sense of humor, he helps listeners understand the motivations, stories, and culture that have made us who and what we are today. 

Ed has a knack for eclecticism and excavating overlooked songs. What you hear from Ed today will not be the same as what you’ll hear from him tomorrow.

Ed started playing guitar in high school. He took guitar lessons from the blind blues singer Paul Pena. Soon he was performing at local coffee houses. One night Ed was the opening act for Andy Cohen.  Andy, after the concert, took time to teach Ed traditional folksongs and guitar styles. This introduction ignited a passion to learn music that, as Pete Seeger used to say, “is well known by a few people.”

Ed’s passion for learning and playing music followed him to college. In his sophomore year, with the help and guidance of a few faculty members to develop a curriculum, Ed became Providence College’s first-ever music major. 

Ed’s earliest solo recordings, The Times They Are Something Like They Used to Be and Scratching The Surface, feature collections of eclectic songs and instrumentals. The Binghamton Sun's review of Scratching The Surface said “Ed Sweeney's wry, articulate, and evocative singing, his exquisite musicianship, and his eclectic collection of obscure songs shouldn't be missed.” 

His two internationally acclaimed instrumental Christmas recordings are Inside Fezziwig’s, The Spirit of Christmas Past (A Dickens Christmas) and It's Christmastime In The City. USA Today, The Washington Post, Boston Globe, Boston Herald and other media outlets featured each recording. USA Today called Inside Fezziwig's “the best folk Christmas release of the year.” 

Other recordings by Ed include Passing Through, featuring instrumentals of Americana music from the Revolutionary War to World War I. Motif Magazine wrote “Much like the man, the music Ed chooses to record is friendly and warm-hearted. ....Delicately crafted arrangements invite the listener to create their own storyline.” 

Ed’s cross-cultural collaborations were influenced by his 14 years as Finance Director of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project. The international musical friendships he developed there allowed him to explore and build new artistic partnerships for learning and sharing the music of many peoples.  

A result of these introductions and collaborations was Ed performing with Pipa Master Yang Wei in the US as well as Taiwan. This led to Ed and Yang Wei recording What Lies Ahead with other members of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble. What Lies Ahead is a musical melding of Eastern and Western traditions. Midwest Records wrote “this cross-cultural mash up is serious but has none of the seriousness of too much world beat. But there’s no disrespect in its air either. Ya heard much Chinese Celtic lately? Equal parts ear opener and door opener, the armchair traveler has a treat here that hasn't been his way in some time. Well done.” 

The CD Commonplaces is a partnership with Mary Lee Partington. The critically acclaimed Commonplaces tells stories of immigrants, farmers and factory workers during 19th and 20th century America.  John Apice of Americana Highways called the release “a penetrating melodic ballad. The CD – delightful from start to finish.” 

A Sunday Drive is Ed’s ninth recording. The inspiration was an image that his friend, photographer Cindy Wilson, shared on social media.  Cindy’s photo is of an old car sitting in front of a gas station. Everything, including the station, had been abandoned for years: the car, tire rims, license plates, gas pumps - one of the pumps had leaded gasoline at 32 cents a gallon. 

A Sunday Drive is an eclectic collection of roadside markers. Ed, with the help of his friend Cathy Clasper-Torch, wanted to capture the variety of music heard over the car radio, or at a farmer’s market, or sung or played from a front porch.  A few of the songs and instrumentals are markers of what used to be, other selections are more contemporary.

Ed has spent his musical life honoring people and their histories by presenting music that entertains and educates. Through his musical expertise, breadth of knowledge, and wonderful sense of humor, he helps listeners understand the motivations, stories, and culture that have made us who and what we are today. 

Ed has a knack for eclecticism and excavating overlooked songs. what you hear from Ed Sweeney today will not be the same as what you’ll hear from him tomorrow.