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 New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Life and career

Born in Stamford, Connecticut, on December 1, 1940,Ed Askew Has Died
/ref> Askew moved to

New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is List ...

, to study painting at

Yale School of Art The Yale School of Art is the art school of Yale University. Founded in 1869 as the first professional fine arts school in the United States, it grants Master of Fine Arts, Masters of Fine Arts degrees to students completing a two-year course in g ...

in 1963 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 Bernard Stollman (July 19, 1929 – April 19, 2015) was an American lawyer and the founder of the ESP-Disk record label. Biography He was born to a Jewish family in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and grew up in Plattsburgh, upstate New York, where ...

ESP-Disk ESP-Disk is a New York–based record company and label founded in 1963 by lawyer Bernard Stollman. History Though it originally existed to release Esperanto-based music, beginning with its second release (Albert Ayler's ''Spiritual Unity''), E ...

, 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

, where he continued to write and record songs, and occasionally perform.

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

and many other high-profile music media praised his work, labeling him as a New York legend. He collaborated with

Sharon Van Etten Sharon Katharine Van Etten (born February 26, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress. Originally from New Jersey, and currently based in Los Angeles, Van Etten's music is noted for its indie rock aesthetic and personal lyric ...

on his 2013 album ''For the World''. Ed Askew died on January 4, 2025, at the age of 84. Jay Pluck, his close friend and collaborator, told ''People'' "Ed was a brave gay songwriter from the beginning and I hope more come to know this. Ed's music changed the lives of people from many generations and continues to do so".

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) * ''For the World ''(2013) (LP on Tin Angel Records, TAR037) * ''Rose'' (2014) (double 10" with Joshua Burkett and Steve Gunn (musician) on Okraïna Records) * ''Rainbow Bridge'' (2014) (cassette on OSR Tapes) * ''Ask the Unicorn'' (2015) (Reissue LP on Tin Angel Records) * ''Art and Life'' (2017) (LP/CD on Tin Angel Records) * ''London'' (2020) (LP on Tin Angel Records)

References

External links

* 1940 births 2025 deaths American male singer-songwriters 20th-century American painters American male painters 21st-century American painters Yale School of Art alumni 20th-century American male artists People from Stamford, Connecticut American LGBTQ musicians {{US-singer-songwriter-stub