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] Adam Swanson's career began in 2003, when he won the Junior Division of the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival.

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.