Singer, guitarist and 5-string banjo player Ed Sweeney honors people and their histories by presenting music that entertains and educates. Through his musical expertise, breadth of knowledge, and wonderful sense of humor, he helps listeners understand the motivations, and stories that have made us who and what we are today. For more than 45 years Ed has actively explored ways to research, learn, perform and teach traditional American music. He became the first music major at Providence College in 1973 where he helped create and shape a curriculum that enabled him to continue learning, following his musical passion. Sweeney’s concerts and recordings have drawn accolades throughout the US, Canada, Europe and Asia. His recordings have been reviewed or featured by major media including Boston Globe, Boston Herald, New York Daily News, Washington Post, Chicago Sun, USA Today, and NPR, and his work is heard worldwide on hundreds of radio stations and on-line networks. Throughout his professional career Ed has been an explorer and learner.  With his knack for eclecticism and excavating overlooked songs, what you hear from Ed Sweeney today will not be the same as what you’ll hear from him tomorrow. Ed has taught 5-string banjo and guitar at Blackstone River Theatre for almost a decade.

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Ed Sweeney / The Vox Hunters

Blackstone River Theatre

Blackstone River Theatre is excited to welcome back Rhode Island favorites, The Vox Hunters, and also offer the BRT debut of the incredibly talented Jake Blount. Jake Blount is an award-winning banjoist, fiddler, singer currently based in Providence, RI. He is a 2020 recipient of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize. Blount specializes in the music of Black communities in the southeastern United States, and in the regional style of the Finger Lakes. He is also half of the internationally touring duo Tui, and a board member of Bluegrass Pride. A versatile performer, Blount interpolates blues, bluegrass and spirituals into the old-time string band tradition he belongs to. He foregrounds the experiences of queer people and people of color in his work. His teachers include Rhiannon Giddens, Bruce Molsky and Judy Hyman. He has claimed first place in both the Banjo and the Traditional Band categories at the prestigious Appalachian String Band Music Festival. Blount has shared his music and research at the Smithsonian Institution, Yale University, and Berklee School of Music, among other institutions. He has appeared on Radiolab, Soundcheck and NPR’s Weekend Edition and regularly teaches fiddle and banjo at festivals and camps like the Augusta Heritage Center and the Ashokan Center. His first full-length solo album, “Spider Tales,” debuted at #2 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart and earned five out of five stars as The Guardian’s Folk Album of the Month.

Jake Blount / The Vox Hunters online concert

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The Vox Hunters

Feb 1, 2026

Ed Sweeney / The Vox Hunters

Feb 27, 2023

Jake Blount / The Vox Hunters online concert

The Vox Hunters