Ed Askew

{{Short description|American painter and singer-songwriter (1940–2025)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Ed Askew

| image = Ed Askew painter.png

| caption =

| alt = Head shot of Askew

| birth_name = Edward Crane Askew

| birth_date = {{birth date|1940|12|1}}

| birth_place = Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|1|4|1940|12|1}}

| death_place =

| genre = Folk

| occupation = {{hlist|Painter|musician|singer{{nbh}}songwriter}}

| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|piano|ukulele|tiple|guitar|keyboards|harmonica}}

| years_active = 1966–2025

| label = {{hlist|ESP-Disk|Drag City|Sub Pop}}

| website = {{url|http://edaskew.bandcamp.com}}

}}

Edward Crane Askew (December 1, 1940 – January 4, 2025) was an American painter and singer-songwriter who first recorded in 1968 and lived in New York City.

Life and career

Born in Stamford, Connecticut, on December 1, 1940,{{cite web|url=http://www.dragcity.com/artists/ed-askew |title=Ed Askew |publisher=Drag City |accessdate=2013-10-07}} Askew moved to New Haven, Connecticut, to study painting at Yale School of Art in 1963{{Cite web |url=http://artscalendar.yale.edu/week/2012-09-30?event=CAL-2c9cb3cd-399c4ff0-013a-27fb04d1-0000526dbedework%40yale.edu_&tag_id=13 |title=Arts calendar |access-date=December 1, 2013 |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203050102/http://artscalendar.yale.edu/week/2012-09-30?event=CAL-2c9cb3cd-399c4ff0-013a-27fb04d1-0000526dbedework%40yale.edu_&tag_id=13 |url-status=dead}} and took up, more or less, permanent residence there until leaving for New York City in 1987.

After graduating from art school in 1966, Askew was called up for the draft. Not feeling particularly enthusiastic about going to war at age 26, he looked for a teaching job and found work at a private prep school in Connecticut. It was while teaching he started making songs; he also acquired his Martin Tiple at this time. The singer-songwriter moved to New York for a few months in 1967 where he met Bernard Stollman of ESP-Disk, who offered him a contract. Between 1968 and 1986, Ed lived, mostly, in New Haven; doing occasional shows with his band, and later doing solo shows there. Around 1987, Ed moved to New York City, where he continued to write and record songs, and occasionally perform.

Pitchfork and many other high-profile music media praised his work, labeling him as a New York legend.{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15248-imperfiction/ |title=Ed Askew: Imperfiction | Album Reviews |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2011-03-24 |accessdate=2013-10-07}}{{Cite web|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/13426-ed-askew-for-the-world-review|title=The Quietus | Reviews | Ed Askew|website=The Quietus|date=September 24, 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.mojo4music.com/6382/ed-askew-for-the-world/ |title=Ed Askew – For The World {{!}} MOJO |website=www.mojo4music.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130910021839/http://www.mojo4music.com/6382/ed-askew-for-the-world/ |archive-date=2013-09-10}} He collaborated with Sharon Van Etten on his 2013 album For the World.{{cite web |url=http://hangout.altsounds.com/news/161467-listen-ed-askew-world-featuring-sharon-van.html |title=Listen: Ed Askew − For The World (featuring Sharon Van Etten) − #AltSounds |publisher=Hangout.altsounds.com |accessdate=2013-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008023843/http://hangout.altsounds.com/news/161467-listen-ed-askew-world-featuring-sharon-van.html |archive-date=2013-10-08 |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |url=http://drownedinsound.com/news/4146775-i-saw-him-open-up-for-bill-callahan-and-it-destroyed-me-sharon-van-etten-on-ed-askew-new-track-premiere |title="I saw him open up for Bill Callahan and it destroyed me." − Sharon van Etten on ed Askew + New Trac / Music News // Drowned in Sound |access-date=2013-12-01 |archive-date=2013-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203002417/http://drownedinsound.com/news/4146775-i-saw-him-open-up-for-bill-callahan-and-it-destroyed-me-sharon-van-etten-on-ed-askew-new-track-premiere |url-status=dead}}

Ed Askew died on January 4, 2025, at the age of 84.[https://exclaim.ca/music/article/ed-askew-has-died Ed Askew Has Died]

Albums

Ask The Unicorn (1968) (LP on ESP Disk)
These Nights and Days (1999) (LP self-released)
Little Eyes (2005) (LP on De Stijl Records)
Rainy Day Song (2008) (LP on Spinning Gold Records)
Imperfiction (2011) (LP on Drag City){{Cite web|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/news/drag-city-releases-lost-folk-artist-ed-askews-1984-harpsichordtiple-masterpiece-go-look-tiple|title=Drag City releases lost folk artist Ed Askew's 1984 harpsichord/tiple masterpiece; go look up "tiple"|website=Tiny Mix Tapes}}
For the World (2013) (LP on Tin Angel Records, TAR037){{cite web |url=http://www.tinangelrecords.co.uk/edaskew/ |title=Tin Angel Records − Ed Askew |website=www.tinangelrecords.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203014431/http://www.tinangelrecords.co.uk/edaskew/ |archive-date=2013-12-03}}
Rose (2014) (double 10" with Joshua Burkett and Steve Gunn (musician) on Okraïna Records){{Cite web|url=https://okrainarecords.bandcamp.com/album/rose|title=Rose, by Ed Askew (w/ Joshua Burkett ~ w/ Steve Gunn)}}
Rainbow Bridge (2014) (cassette on OSR Tapes)
Ask the Unicorn (2015) (Reissue LP on Tin Angel Records){{Cite web|url=https://tinangelrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ask-the-unicorn|title=Ask the Unicorn, by Ed Askew}}
Art and Life (2017) (LP/CD on Tin Angel Records){{Cite web|url=https://edaskew.bandcamp.com/album/art-and-life|title=Art and Life, by Ed Askew}}
London (2020) (LP on Tin Angel Records){{Cite web|url=https://edaskew.bandcamp.com/album/london|title=London, by Ed Askew}}

References

External links

{{discogs artist|Ed Askew}}

Category:1940 births

Category:2025 deaths

Category:American male singer-songwriters

Category:20th-century American painters

Category:American male painters

Category:21st-century American painters

Category:Yale School of Art alumni

Category:20th-century American male artists

Category:People from Stamford, Connecticut