Sun City Residents Sue and Ed Birth are proud of their son, Eddy, who is coming into his own as a singer-songwriter.
Sue said, “We have a talented singer-songwriter son. He has an EP and two albums to his credit. Eddy releases a new song every five weeks for his next album. He writes all the music and lyrics for his original portfolio of over 100 songs. Eddy performs regularly in Madison, Chicago, and the tri-cities. He plays guitar, harmonica, piano, accordion, theremin, ukulele, and pretty much any instrument he picks up. His musical story is amazing.”
Eddy says his interest in music has an interesting evolution.
He said, “I started playing the harmonica at age 13. I grew up loving sports, and it wasn’t until I was in high school when I broke my finger that I became interested in playing the piano.”
His father said, “We had purchased a grand piano, hoping someone would play it. Our daughter, Lauren, took lessons for years and learned to play quite well. But when Eddy got interested, he taught himself to play.”
How did he teach himself?
Eddy said, “I looked it up on YouTube and found I could replay the tunes by ear. I started up bands in high school and college. Some alternative rock, hip hop, and blues. I have always been the band’s front man. I played the ukulele early on and, eventually, the accordion, the theremin, and the guitar.”
Does the musical talent run in the family?
Ed said, “Not from me. Sue is the talented one. We always had music in our house. We played fazz, James Taylor, Rolling Stones, and music of the baby boomers.”
Sue said, “I love to sing. I was in the glee club and always sang to whatever music played.”
How did their son start writing music?
Eddy said, “I always enjoyed poetry and writing stories. My songs tell stories. My current solo genre is Americana.”
Lyrics and a poetic and thought-provoking nature drive Eddy’s songwriting, and often the songs have religious themes.
Eddy’s performance venues have been varied, too.
“I have performed in many venues and events in Madison, Chicago, and the Midwest. House of Blues at the Battle of the Bands in Chicago, and I am in talks to perform here in Huntley at Sew Hop’d this summer. I perform as a solo artist or with my cousin Sean Birth, who is an amazing percussionist.”
Sue said, “He is 30 years old and has been releasing music since 2017. In February 2023, he released the album ‘The Traveling Tin Sandwich.’ After that, the singles: ‘Take Me Down to the River,’ ‘Devil’s Road,’ and ‘Faces That You Know’ were mastered and released. Next up, his new single this January is ‘Smoke from Your Gun.’”
You can listen to and follow Eddy on Spotify, Apple Music, or any streaming service. Eddy’s songs and playlist have been played in 87 countries. His music can be found on his website at eddy-birth.com.
