Ed McCurdy was born in 1919 in Willow Hill, Pennsylvania. His professional career started in 1937 as a Gospel singer over station SVKY in Oklahoma City, and he has since of worked as a niteclub and theatre performer (including a short stint in burlesque) and as a radio announcer. In 1946, McCurdy began singing folksongs over the Canadian Broad casting Corporation radio system. In 1952, he began writing and performing for children's program's in radio and television, continuing to utilize folkmusic at every opportunity.