Famous people who started as buskers?

[Todd]

The Barenaked Ladies did street In Toronto.

[AJJames]

recording artists;
Cheryl Crow, The Levellers,Stereophonics,Catatonia,Bjork,Alanis Morrissette

comedians; Eddie Izzard, Steve Rawlings, Bill Bailey,Paul Morrocco,

[gazzo osborne]

ROD STEWART,
BOB DYLAN
TOM HANKS
BABY GRAMPS
ARTIST THE SPOON MAN
TOM NODDY
CHARLIE BARNETTE
EDDIE IZZARD
HAROLD LLOYD
MURRY
HARRY HOUDINI
ROCK STEADY CREW
LEZ BUBB
LEE EVANS
MICHAEL COLLIER
PENN AND TELLER
DAVE SHINER
JERRY SADOWITZ
JEFF SHERADON
ROBIN WILLIAMS-AND YES HE DID PLAY THE STREET
AVNER THE EXCENTRIC {HE TOOK A LADY VOLUNTEER AND STOLE HER WATCH AND FORGOT TO GIVE IT BACK TO HER AT THE END OF THE SHOW- FROM THERE ON HE VOWED HE WOULD NEVER DO A STREET SHOW AGAIN...}
DAVE SANDBORN
HARRY ANDERSON
TRACEY CHAPMAN
JAMES TAYLOR {SO HE TOLD ME}
AMAZING JOHNATHAN



SOON TO BE FAMOUS: AS FOLLOWING-
JASON WEBBLEY
JIM SHOW
JUSTIN CASE
PETER PANIC {IF HE GOT HIS SHIT TOGETHER!!!}
ROBERT {SUE} NELSON????-IF MARK DAVID CHAPMAN EVER GETS OUT OF GOAL!!!
BRIAN HULSE {SO HE TOLD ME}
P.S NICK- SEND MY JASON WEBBLEY CD'S BACK!!


[This message has been edited by gazzo osborne (edited 06-26-2001).]

[This message has been edited by gazzo osborne (edited 06-27-2001).]

[This message has been edited by gazzo osborne (edited 06-27-2001).]

[Todd]

Bob Hoskins was a fire eater for a while.

Burt Lancaster was the bottom of a two man sway-pole, or balance pole act. He would stand there and base whlie another guy balanced/did tricks on the top. when he first started in movies, He had to work into his contracts to get time off to tour with the circus.

[Butterfly Man]

Gazzo,
I think your name should be added to your own list of soon to be famous buskers ... at the very bottom ... and, of course, only if Yoko Ono changes her name to Wayne Gretsky and lands on Boardwalk or Park Place with three red hotels and forgets all about going to court ... then Mark David Chapman will be eligable for a "Get out of Goal -Free" card and I will be famous too ... as long as Johnny Cash writes a song about my middle name.

I should've done us all a favor, years ago, and left you on the beach to die. What a dumb puck you turned out to be.

[Rich Potter]

Gazzo:
Harold Lloyd? Really?

As I know little about street performing in the early 20th century, I'm quite interested.

What did he do? Where? Is this during his Vaudeville days or before? Sadly, I know little of his history.

And Houdini: I thought he worked the dime museum(s). Is that considered busking?

Oh, and Eddie Izzard: wicked funny. A current favorite. Wilder & quicker than Robin Williams. A smart dresser, too.

--Rich

.

[martin ewen]

George W stole Gazzos act (watch his lips when the mikes off)

[BFlat]

Jazz saxophonists Sonny Rollin and John Coltrane were street musicians.

One interesting point, John Coltrane used to go back playing on the streets even after he became 'famous', said it was helping him to keep in touch with reality.

[herbie treehead]

jesus, that bloke who used to do shows inthat place where they're always blowing themselves up and each other.
He did some hughmungous shows, even longer than a rumple show.......and I bet he hatted them and kept all the money for himself, spending it on exciting things

love
herbie treehead

[Rich Potter]

I always kinda assumed Gallagher was a street guy. Anyone know his story?

...then again, the unfeasability of carrying around a sledgehammer and enough watermelons to do a 10-show day may be a clue that he wasn't...

--Rich

[Rex Boyd]

I did have a photo of Eddie Izzard doing a show in Covent Garden circa 1988 but I loaned it to Matt Bernard who was doing a research project for school. Can I have it back Matt?

Also I heard that the Gypsy Kings started on the street.

Rex

[The Twisted Ones]

Jann Arden used to perform on Robson St. in Vancouver all the time. I'm not sure how well known she is in the states yet but she was on Regis yesterday.
I saw Alanis listed a few posts earlier. Are you sure on that one? She went from that kids show then pretty much staight into doing the bubblegum pop thing in her teens. At what point was she doing the street thing?
Just curious.

[pablo]

It's been a long time since I rock 'n rolled...

I just read a 1977 interview with Jimmy Page - guitarist for Led Zeppelin - and he mentions busking on the streets when he was in art school.

That made my day.

Turn it up, Jimmy...

[jester]

Max Bygraves busked when he was about 10 after his family were robbed of their purse on a day out. He earned enough to buy some supper and pay the bus fare home.....

[Doctor Eric]

Eryka Badu used to do street.