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Adam Swanson
Adam Swanson
	Adam Swanson at the 2024 World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival
Background information
Birth name	Adam G. Swanson
Born	1992; Flint, Michigan, US
Genres	Old-Time Piano
Occupation	Musician-Songwriter
Instrument	Piano
Years active	2003-Present
Labels	Rivermont Records
Website	adamgswanson.com

Adam G. Swanson is an American Ragtime and Old-Time Music Pianist. He is known for his fast, energetic, and enthusiastic approach to playing ragtime.

Swanson's career in ragtime piano began in 2003, when he won the junior division of the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival as a ten-year-old. He has since become one of the most popular ragtime artists of this time. Swanson has performed at Carnegie Hall, and has received many prestigious awards, such as first place in the Regular Division of the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival in 2008, 2009, 2010, and returning in 2015 (which made him the only four-time winner of the contest throughout its entire history), first place in the Junior Division of the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival in 2003, 2004, and 2006 (he became the youngest ever winner of the Junior Division at 10), first place in New Rag Contest of the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival in 2013, and first place in the Duet Contest of the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival in 2016 and 2018.

Early life

Swanson lived his early life in Iowa, and enjoyed going to antique stores in his free time. At the age of ten, Swanson played his first ever song on piano, the extremely difficult and technical Maple Leaf Rag. It was this event that prompted Swanson's swift introduction into the professional ragtime circuit, since it gave him the title of "Prodigy." Throughout his teens, Swanson was present at all of the major ragtime festivals, as well as going on a world tour and performing at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.^[1]

Career

Adam Swanson's career began in 2003, when he won the Junior Division of the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival. From there many contests across different divisions, and performed at ragtime festivals across the world, such as the Bohem Ragtime and Jazz Festival. He was also featured in the 2012 film "The Entertainers," in which he was referred to as "the prodigy." He was also mentored by popular ragtime pianist Johnny Maddox at the Diamond Belle Saloon in Durango, CO. In addition, he has performed at Carnegie Hall^[2] and the Kennedy Center,^[3] and in Hungary, Switzerland, and Australia. He has also performed with many other ragtime pianists, such as Martin Spitznagel, Tom Brier, Johnny Maddox,^[2] Max Morath, Ian Whitcomb,^[4] and more.^[1]

Albums


Album	Artists	Year	Notes
Chestnut Street in the 90's	Adam Swanson	2007	First Album
On a Circular Staircase	Adam Swanson	2008
Seven Little Stars (And the Man in the Moon)	Adam Swanson & Johnny Maddox	2009
Double Trouble	Adam Swanson & Fredrick Hodges	2010
Sunshine from the Fingers	Adam Swanson	2011
I Love a Piano	Adam Swanson, Danny Coot, & Ian Whitcomb	2011
Rare & Rip-Roaring Rags of 1912	Adam Swanson	2013
Jazz Nocturne	Adam Swanson	2014	Bachelor's Degree Project
Southwestern Swing	Adam Swanson, Jeff Johnson, & the Redcliff Rounders	2014
Hum All of Your Troubles Away	Adam Swanson & Danny Coots	2015
Revival Ragtime	Adam Swanson	2018
Ragtime Austrialia!	Adam Swanson	???
Jazzin the Blues Away	Adam Swanson & Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra	2019
An Evening in The Diamond Belle Saloon	Adam Swanson	2019
Take Me To The Land Of Jazz	Adam Swanson & Domingo Mancuello	2021