Ed Masuga
Encyclopedia
Ed Masuga is an American
singer, musician
, and songwriter
from Berkeley, California
.
Ed Masuga's music is characterized by acoustic guitar
fingerpicking and a strong yet mellifluous vocal style. Although best known for his intricate guitar
work, Masuga also accompanies himself on piano
, banjo
, ukulele
, mandolin
, and harmonica
. He has released three independent albums; a self-titled debut album "Ed Masuga" (2006), "Lonely Dog" (2008), and "Let Me Tune My Heartstrings" (2010).
His drifting family was never satisfied in any one place for too long, and he grew up wandering between shacks, motels, casino
s, trailers
, forests, and barroom kitchens. At two years old he saw his dad compete on the game show
"Name That Tune
," and though the appearance netted just a jukebox
and a trip to Puerto Rico
, Ed's future as a traveling musician had been fully inspired. Masuga moved to the San Francisco Bay Area
in 1999 to attend college at UC Berkeley, and initially became known in the folk music
community while performing at student co-op houses.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
from Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
.
Ed Masuga's music is characterized by acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
fingerpicking and a strong yet mellifluous vocal style. Although best known for his intricate guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
work, Masuga also accompanies himself on piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, and harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
. He has released three independent albums; a self-titled debut album "Ed Masuga" (2006), "Lonely Dog" (2008), and "Let Me Tune My Heartstrings" (2010).
Biography
Born on March 31, 1978, Ed Masuga is the youngest of ten children. After bringing him home as a newborn with the birth tag "Boy Masuga" on his wrist, his parents ended up calling him "Boy" for the first few years of his life. When they started calling him "Danny," a shortened version of his given name, he refused, preferring to go by his middle name. So struck was he by a popular country star of the time, young Ed Masuga would reply to those calling him "Danny" by saying, "I'm not Danny. I'm Eddie. Eddie Rabbit."His drifting family was never satisfied in any one place for too long, and he grew up wandering between shacks, motels, casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s, trailers
Trailer (vehicle)
A trailer is generally an unpowered vehicle pulled by a powered vehicle. Commonly, the term trailer refers to such vehicles used for transport of goods and materials....
, forests, and barroom kitchens. At two years old he saw his dad compete on the game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
"Name That Tune
Name That Tune
Name That Tune is a television game show that put two contestants against each other to test their knowledge of songs. Premiering in the United States on NBC Radio in 1952, the show was created and produced by Harry Salter and his wife Roberta....
," and though the appearance netted just a jukebox
Jukebox
A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
and a trip to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Ed's future as a traveling musician had been fully inspired. Masuga moved to the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
in 1999 to attend college at UC Berkeley, and initially became known in the folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
community while performing at student co-op houses.