Ed Sweeney

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

Ed performs a wide-ranging repertoire on 6- and 12-string guitar, 5-string banjo, and fretless banjo in theatres, concerts, coffee houses, schools, clubs, tea houses, festivals, house concerts — almost any venue imaginable. His concerts and recordings have received accolades throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia.  

  Ed’s cross-cultural collaborations were influenced by his 14 years as Finance Director of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project. His international musical friendships allowed him to explore and build new artistic partnerships. 

What’s guaranteed: With his knack for eclecticism and excavating overlooked songs, what you hear from Ed today will not be the same as what you’ll hear tomorrow.

Ed Sweeney honors people and their histories by presenting music that entertains as well as educates. Through his musical expertise, breadth of knowledge, and wonderful sense of humor, Ed helps listeners come to understand the motivations, stories, and culture that have made us who and what we are today.  

His music education started in high school when he took guitar lessons from the blind blues singer Paul Pena.  Soon Ed was performing at local coffee houses. One night he was an opening act for Andy Cohen. After the show Andy sat with Ed and taught him more songs and introduced him to different guitar styles. That meeting opened Ed’s eyes and ears to the world of Traditional music. 

Ed’s passion for learning and playing music followed him to Providence College. In his sophomore year, with the help and guidance of a few faculty members, Ed developed his own curriculum and became the college’s first-ever music major. Ed started studying guitar and banjo with pioneering music educator Tony Saletan. Tony guided Ed to discover additional musical sources and meet other musicians. 

Today Ed performs a wide-ranging repertoire on 6- and 12-string guitar, 5-string banjo, and fretless banjo in theatres, concerts, coffee houses, schools, clubs, tea houses, festivals, house concerts — almost any venue imaginable. His concerts and recordings have earned numerous accolades throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. 

He has been featured on NPR and his music is currently heard on hundreds of radio stations and on-line networks.  

His music was part of the Ken Burns documentary Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony and has been heard on television soundtracks and as background music in Disneyland,  Disneyland Paris and Disneyland Tokyo.

Ed’s first 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 as they were released. USA Today called “Inside Fezziwig's” “the best folk Christmas release of the year.” 

Other recordings by Ed include Passing Through, featuring instrumentals of American 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. 

These collaborations resulted in the recording What Lies Ahead with Pipa Master Yang Wei and other members of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble. What Lies Ahead represents a musical partnership where Eastern and Western traditions meet.  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.” 

Ed's 2021 release Commonplaces, is in partnership with Mary Lee Partington as part of Partington & Sweeney. 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 LP – delightful from start to finish.” 

Today you could see Ed in a solo concert with a potpourri of songs, instruments, and musical styles; with Yang Wei as they mix Eastern and Western Traditional music; or listen to Partington & Sweeney weave a musical story of immigrants and their traditions. Or perhaps you’ll hear him with Mary King  and Cathy Clasper-Torch as they combine the songs and musical styles from the times of Stephen Foster to Mark Twain or the Irish in America.

What’s guaranteed: With his knack for eclecticism and excavating overlooked songs, what you hear from Ed today will not be the same as what you’ll hear tomorrow.