Folk Musician, workshop leader, banjo teacher
Ed Hicks is one of the UK’s leading banjo players. Ed works as a musician, educator, performer and irreverent folk-music activist in London and beyond.
Ed plays 5-string banjo (clawhammer and bluegrass style) as well as 4-string plectrum jazz banjo. Ed also plays guitar, fiddle, mandolin, ukulele, anglo concertina and sings.
Career highlights include:
- Playing “Always look on the Bright side of Life” with Eric Idle at Hammersmith Apollo.
- Playing live to 60,000 people at Rock Am Ring Germany with Rea Garvey.
- Playing on Mercury nominated and Gold Records.
- Being chosen by the BBC as the banjo player to remember Earl Scruggs after his death in 2012.
- Co-composing the award winning Southpark trailer for seasons 19 and 20.
- Playing Love Cats live with Rob Smith from the Cure.
- Getting to share his love for banjo music with audiences big and small across the UK and Europe for over ten years.
Education Work
Ed has worked as a banjo teacher and folk music workshop leader for the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) for eight years and was a lead tutor on their Full English project. He has trained in music workshop leading with Spitalfields Music, EFDSS, Music for Change, Musicleader, Sing Up, Folk Arts England, Platform for Arts and the Discover Centre.
In 2012 Ed set up the Trad Academy, a folk music school based in London designed to help anyone and everyone make music. The Trad Academy has been a great success and is now set up as a community interest company and this year organised it’s first Folk Music Summer School for Kids!
Theatre Work
Ed has worked for many theatre companies including Ramshacklicious Theatre Co, Folk Dance Remixed (original musical director), The Honk Project, Cirque De Legume and The Cockney Awkestra (artistic director).
