Famous people who started as buskers?

[Jim]

OK, I received this email today and it sounded like a good thread for the boards... List all the famous people who started out as buskers...

_______________________________
Do you know of any famous musical recording artists who started out as
buskers (rock, pop, classical, jazz, you name it)? I'm doing urgent research
for a TV show.....particularlly from England?

Many thanks.

mailto:davidwwachs@cs.comdavidwwachs@cs.com</A>
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[Jim]

As for jugglers, I know of A. Whitney Brown

I know Robin Williams was a street performer in NY. And I remember hearing somewhere that Richard Dean Anderson (MacGuyver) was a street mime at some point.

Don't know of too many musicians, but I'm sure the list is probably much greater.

[Todd]

The snotty guy from 'Newhart' is a juggler. His name escapes me.
And I was at the Barn with Ron Eldard, and I believe while he was there he got good at ball passing.

[Orange]

i've heard that BECK used to be a busker, but i don't really know what his act was or anything.

[Rich Potter]

I've heard that Steve Martin has worked the street. (Dunno if he STARTED there though)
Shields & Yarnell (duh)
Michael Davis (Saturday Night Live in the 80s, showtime special)
Harry Anderson (Night Court, Dave, SNL in the '80s)
Musician Lorena McKinnett (sp?)
--Rich

[young raoul]

my old crones The Crash Test Dummies started out here in the ether city as a busking group - they had a couple big albums a few years back and were part of the soundtrack on the fine Jim Carrey cinematic masterpiece "Dumb And Dumber" until slowly descending into obscurity - obscurity with royalty cheques mind ya - they would qualify as "famous" I suppose.

[Todd]

Steve Martin started out doing a magic/juggling/? show at Knotts Berry Farm right out of high school.
He still does magic/juggling in his spare time. He has written several plays two of which deal with magic ticks/stunts as metaphor for the inner conflict.
He also does a 'false arm' bit/trick/show (I dont know what to call it) called "Flydini"
where he comes out dressed in a suit and tie (with two arms showing) unzipps his fly and then begins to produce objects from his fly. An endless stream of hankies, a glass of wine, a cigarette, balls which he juggles, and ends with a handpuppet of Pavoratti(sp) singing. He does it at private Hollywood events, and has only once done it for film or tv and that was during Johnny Carsons last week hosting the tonight show. Martin did it as a special 'goodby'. I happened to catch it that night, but wasnt able to get a tape in the vcr that night. It was the best/funniest false arm act I have ever seen.

[Butterfly Man]

Hey, what signifies "famous" anyway? Probably only Paddy can answer that ... but surely Jim Rose is famous ... at least amongst all those faces out there that resemble tackle boxes.
But as far as the UK goes, Don Partridge "King of the Buskers" is a a “muso” legend ... and in my book, Jango Edwards, Captain Keane 'O" and Leo Bassi all are more than deserving of that unctuous moniker.

[Todd]

Good point!!!
Sucess doesn't equal fame and vice virsa.(or something like that)
It is that old chestnut that I'm sure we all go through as performers "Wow, you are funny! You should do this for a living!" "Or you should be on TV."
After all RObert Nelson, Johnny fox, Gazzo are all "Famous" to a degree and 'Legends' in the right circles, but They are not household names like John Kennedy (who did a mean mills mess), Winston Churchill or Matt LeBlanc (save your money kid, cause once the show is over, the show is over), but they do have fame.
I guess we should re-name this thread, "People you wouldn't expect to be jugglers/street performers"

[Jim]

Picky, picky, picky....

Yes, of course, we all know Gazzo, Butterfly Man, and Michael Davis are "Famous" ... but that's in OUR world. I meant "Famous" ... in the regular world.

We all know that any average 'Joe' on the sidewalk couldn't name a 'famous' juggler if we offered $1000 to do it. A famous Magician, yes, but not a famous juggler. And almost certainly not a street performer of any type. (well maybe they'd sat David Blaine, but let's not get into that.)

So lets keep going... I'm talking movie star/ TV star/ platinum recording artist type FAMOUS people who started playing on the street.

[Jim]

Just thought of another couple...

Tracy Chapman used to play in Harvard Square (before I got there.)

And of course there's Mary Lou Lord who has some radio play, but she's mostly famous in Boston and Seattle (and, well, she STILL plays in the street.)

[Adam Gertsacov]

Avner
The Karamazov's
Bill Irwin
Michelle Shocked
Phillipe Petite

The guys from Cirque du Soleil

[Pokie-Poke]

Penn and Teller
Michael Moschen
I think Chris Rock did washington sq.
the band "Boston"

[Chance]

One I heard about was James Taylor.

[StarPixy]

I think Robin Williams was one.... I heard he was a professional mime.Ummmmm....was Chaplin ever a busker???....can't remember...