Revered Singer-Songwriter Ed Askew Has Died

Ed Askew, a cult folk music singer-songwriter and painter, died Saturday, Jan. 4 at the age of 84, his manager and friend Jay Pluck confirmed. Askew passed away after he had been in hospice care amid “ongoing health struggles,” PEOPLE reported, though his cause of death was not disclosed.

“Ed was a brave gay songwriter from the beginning and I hope more come to know this,” Pluck told the outlet. “Ed’s music changed the lives of people from many generations and continues to do so.”

A native of Stamford, Connecticut, Askew studied paining at Yale Art School. Although he was called up for the draft in 1966, he found a teaching job at a private prep school in Connecticut instead. It was during this time that Askew began to write songs, the musician recalling, per his former record label, Drag City, “I must have written 25 songs that semester; all of the material on Unicorn and possibly some stuff on Little Eyes.”

Askew released his debut album, Ask The Unicorn, in 1968, and went on to release 10 additional albums throughout his career, the last being 2020’s London. After moving to New York City in the ’80s, Askew amassed a cult following as he developed a unique style of acid and folk. Amid a resurgence of interest in his work, his debut album was re-released by Drag City in 2015. His other albums include 1999’s These Nights and Days, 2005’s Little Eyes, 2011’s Imperfiction, and 2013’s For The World. He also self-released hundreds of songs on cassettes, which he mailed to friends, before releasing them decades later on his Bandcamp page, Pitchfork reported.

Outside of his music career, Askew also had a prolific painting career and exhibited his at Starr Suites in Brooklyn and Xavier Hufkens in Brussels. He was also a poet who performed regularly at Poetry Project and published books.

Paying tribute to his friend on Instagram, Pluck said that a memorial will take place in “early spring.” Paying tribute to his friend, he wrote, “Rest in Peace, Ed Askew (Dec 1, 1940 – Jan 4, 2025) — we love you forever,” as he shared a video of Pluck performing live. Pluck also quoted lyrics from Askew’s 2013 track “Crazy Angels,” and encouraged the singer-songwriter’s fans to “please do reach out to me any time and I will respond as soon as I can… Ed was a genius artist and a genius person and I love him.”

Jerry David DeCicca also paid tribute, writing, “You were loved and always will be. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life & music.” He said producing Askew’s 2013 LP For the World “was an honor.”

Richard Guy of Tin Angel added, “Ed had an ability as a songwriter and an artist to create works of art that touched people’s hearts. He was gentle, humble, funny, endlessly creative and inquisitive. I could go on and on but suffice to say we are heartbroken.”