Named as one of the best country albums of 2015 by The Telegraph-UK, this debut record was independently released late May, 2015. A Good American Life was recorded/produced in Grand Rapids, MI by Michael Crittenden (Troll for Trout, Drew Nelson, Josh Rose, Ralston Bowles) and mastered in Athens, GA by John Keane (R.E.M., Cowboy Junkies, Robert Earl Keen, Nanci Griffith, Uncle Tupelo). The album features Rob Avsharian on drums (Andy Timmons Band), John Connors on bass (The Verve Pipe), Drew Howard on pedal steel (Jill Jack, Drew Nelson), Craig Griffith (The Verve Pipe) on harmonica, and Tara Cleveland singing background vocals.  The album features 12 songs, all but one of which were written in the ten months leading up to its production. 

"Sonically, the album consistently retains a dusky hue, reminiscent of Nebraska-era Springsteen or early Red House Painters. Ed’s music is essentially acoustic at its core; the recordings include some accompaniment complete with flourishes of overdriven, midwestern guitar shapes and pedal steel over top spare and sure drumming, while the occasional harmonica embellishes the quintessentially American folk sense of these tunes. Ed’s baritone vocals retain an easy, warm, and melodic tone, his lyrics refreshingly well articulated with just a touch of sardonic wit beneath the heartfelt and at times aching delivery." -National Country Review

"Many if not most tracks on this album are quite straightforward blue-collar Country-Folk songs that could or should have come from the pens of Springsteen, Kristofferson or more recently Sturgill Simpson...." - No Depression