Ed Roman is an Award-winning singer/songwriter, performer and multi-instrumentalist. Ed’s uniquely crafted songs have received regular rotation on more than 100 terrestrial radio stations across North America and more than 600 stations, worldwide. Ed was featured as an “Emerging Artist” in Billboard Magazine, December 2018. The animated music video for the Top 20 iTunes charting song, “Red Omen” has been shown at numerous film festivals around the globe, earning accolades and raising funds for Whole Dyslexic Foundation, a cause near and dear to Ed’s heart. Ed is also a gentleman farmer, gardener and paranormal enthusiast. Ed’s single, “Stronger” was released in January 2020 on MTS Records. The song raced onto the iTunes Canada Pop charts, and it was followed by an iTunes South Africa chart-topper, “Tomorrow Is Today”.
Ed is an Artists Music Guild Award Nominee, an International Music and Entertainment Association Award Winner, an IMEA Award nominee, a Josie Show Awards winner, an Indie Music Channel Award winner, and a Radio Music Award winner blurring the lines between Pop, Rock, Folk, and Country music genres. The musician takes a short break to speak with 1InMusic.
1 In Music: What is unique about you and your music?
Ed Roman [ER]: Music is unique to the individual experience. It is a testament to who we are as people on a spiritual and anthropological level. The definition of an artist as one who has the ability to fuse their life with the rhythm of the times. I believe my music reflects the living moment and has evolved with me in my life as such. It is a blend of a multitude of different genres. Everything but the kitchen sink.
1 In Music: What or who shaped your music and who supports you?
ER: The reason I really became involved with music is because I struggled immensely as a young person with dyslexia. My mom put a guitar in my hands at an early age as she recognized my passion for music. She understood implicitly that it allowed me to break out of my conventional academic box.
I was lucky enough to grow up at a time when anything went as far as music was concerned. The 1970s was a plethora of everything from Rock ‘n’ Roll, disco, Country music, Folk music. And because I grew up in a household of three generations, I was also exposed to Classical music, Jazz… both modern and contemporary as well as Rock ‘n’ Roll and Rhythm and Blues from the 1950s. Some of my earliest influences were bands like the Beatles, artists like Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Eddie Cochrane. As I moved into my teen years, I really became interested in Pop Rock, Funk as well as Jazz music. Fell in love with bands like Yes, Rush, level 42, Tower Of Power and then into the jazz world with artists like Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke and of course greats like Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Cole Porter.
My dad died when I was very young so I left college early and went out on the road. Many of those years were like educational experiences. Playing with such a wide variety of musicians and musical genres was a wonderful breeding ground for a cross pollination of musical ideas. I had a band a number of years ago “Special Ed And The Musically Challenges” which played a very wide variety of styles of music ranging from Funk, Rock, R&B, spoken word, country, just about everything but the kitchen sink.
A number of years ago I started my solo career and I’ve released three full length albums. I’m currently in the midst of releasing my fourth.
1 In Music: When did you realise you were going to make music professionally?
ER: I’ve always wanted to pursue music professionally as there are so many personal rewards involved that don’t involve materialism.
Trust me, it’s nice to make money, put bread on the table and pay your bills.
But the main reason I became involved was
because of the friendship and the community and
my struggle with dyslexia.
Music gave me the ability to thrive in a three-dimensional environment,
Express myself in a literary fashion and
connect with a wide variety of people all over the world.
1 In Music: What type of music do you listen to?
Ed Roman: I love a wide variety of music. A lot of Funk, Rhythm and Blues, Rock ‘n’ Roll, jazz, Reggae, Classical, Spoken word.
I grew up in a household of three generations and was exposed to a wide variety of music. It’s part of who I am.
1 In Music: Who, to you, is the most undervalued music artist?
Ed Roman: Music and art is so subjective. What tantalizes one, terrifies another. Popular music culture tends to overshadow a lot of amazing things in the undercurrent. In my opinion one of the most poetic storytellers of all time is Tom Waits. Not only that, his music is more like a carnival tapestry of ideas and sounds.
1 In Music: How do you prepare for your performances? Ed Roman: Once I know what is going to happen in the set, I rehearse the set as if it was a show making sure I’m fitting within the time allotted and understanding how the songs flow from tune to tune. That could be all subject to change on the night of the performance. The important thing is I’m comfortable with the material and should expect anything.
1 In Music: What do you do when you don’t do music (creative or otherwise) and that you are passionate about? Ed Roman: I’ve really become interested in studying the landscapes of catastrophe. Over the past two years I’ve been taking evening classes on geology astronomy and geometry. I’m fascinated by the ancient past as well as prehistory. I also love gardening so all summer much of my time is spent outside in the field. Growing food to me has the same sustenance and quality that music provides. Food for the soul food for your stomach.
1 In Music: Success to you is…? Ed Roman: Success to me as being able to do what I’m doing. I’ve met so many amazing people in my life on my musical journey and it has enriched my life immensely. Music has allowed me to successfully deal with my learning disability and empower me with a vehicle of amplitude and forward motion. If no one ever heard what I’ve recorded or wrote the important thing as I’m connecting with my thoughts and living moment.
1 In Music: What do you wish you were told when you started out and that you think would help anyone who starts out?
Ed Roman:
Always be yourself. Always believe in yourself.
The only thing that will get you anywhere is your own hard work and persistence.
1 In Music: Any upcoming projects?
ER: Over the last year I’ve been releasing singles from a new project titled “ A Recipe For Perpetual Spring” The latest singles “Stronger” & “Tomorrow Is Today” have been doing incredibly well and charting. On October 1 I am releasing a brand new single from the same project. “Happiness” I’m very excited to bring some new material to people and I think the language exemplifies the dichotomy in the living moment.
1 In Music: Ed Roman, thank you for giving us this interview. Where do we find you music?
ER: Thank you so kindly for having me today and it’s been an absolute pleasure to be able to speak with you. I would encourage everybody to go to my YouTube channel SpecialEdRoman to watch all the latest videos and head over to iTunes or Amazon to pick up your latest copies of The newest singles “Stronger” “Tomorrow Is Today”. The latest singles and my other albums are all available on iTunes, Amazon, CD baby and a number of other sites on the World Wide Web.
You can also find some of my music on iCloud and Spotify. You can get all of my previous albums on iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby. I also do a lot of fundraising and raising awareness for The Whole Dyslexic Society for facilitating programs for children that struggle with dyslexia. The song and video I produced a couple of years ago RED OMEN has become the mouthpiece and Vanguard for The Whole Dyslexic Society here in Canada. All proceeds of purchasing or watching the video through iTunes or Vimeo go directly to the institution.
October 1 new release. “Happiness” fantastic production and engineering by Michael Jack with international guest musicians Dave Patel and Tobias Tinker. Out on MTS records. UMG & SONY. You can also come by my website and follow direct links to my social media as well as links to the music.