Painter and folk singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Ed Askew was born in Stamford, Connecticut on December 1, 1940. In 1963, he relocated to New Haven and attended Yale School of Art, where he studied painting. After graduating in 1966, he pursued a teaching job before becoming interested in music. After spending time writing songs, Ed Askew briefly moved to New York, where he signed with ESP-Disk Records and released his self-titled debut album in 1968. However, he spent most of his time in New Haven for the next 20 years, performing the occasional live show, but not releasing any music. In 1987, he relocated permanently to New York City but did not immerse himself into the music scene for another decade. Ed Askew released his second album, Little Houses, in 1997, and followed that with These Days and Nights (1999). Already a critically acclaimed artist, he continued to release a series of albums including Little Eyes (2002), Times Like These (2003), Rainy Day Song (2008), Paper Horses (2009), Imperfiction (2011), For the World (2013), Rainbow Bridge (2014), Boats and Roads (2015), London (2018), and Sleeping with Angels (2021). While never a commercial success, his back catalog was beloved by the music press and his legion of fans. On January 4, 2025, Ed Askew died at the age of 84.
