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Believe it or not, some of the most famous musical acts started out as buskers – the Manic Street Preachers, Bob Dylan, Gerry Rafferty and the Barenaked Ladies.

It’s one of the oldest forms of entertainment – acting, singing or playing an instrument in public, in the hope that the passing masses will stop to chuck you a few quid or sometimes pence.

All you need to get started is some discernable talent, something you can upturn to catch money in – ie: a hat, bucket, or guitar case, a decent repertoire, and you’re ready to go.

You can listen to some buskers do their thing on BBC Radio Stoke’s Breakfast Show with Pete Morgan:-

Busking Tips

Appearance – You need to look good, so you don’t look downbeat, down-and-out or that you’re begging.

Smile - You need to show you’re enjoying it, even if sometimes it’s tipping down with rain, and you’ve made 47p in the last 3 hours.

Guitarist Hailey Strangelove

 “I don’t do it for the money,” says guitarist/singer Hailey Strangelove. “It can be lovely at the end of the day, when you see what the public think you’re worth money-wise, but when the mood takes me, I’ll just go and spread a little love.”

Be original – Don’t just do what every other bloke with a guitar does, be an individual. “I find that everyone knows Wonderwall because it’s so easy – anyone who can play guitar can play that,” says busker Shaun Walker “There’s loads of different styles of buskers, you’ve got to find your own”.

Check you’re legal. – Some places require you to have a permit to busk, and in some places playing publicly could be illegal. Check before you play.

“I’ve been around Europe doing it – sat on a bridge in Prague and played.” says African D’Jemby Dave . “I also played up a mountain, and didn’t realise it was illegal until I saw people being moved on. I thought the police won’t be able to get up here in time, so I packed up and went!”

Stand up!

Don’t sit on the ground – It’s best to stand while performing or sitting on a stool. Or you could go the whole hog like clarinet player Eric Newton who runs marathons while playing!

Clarinet player Eric Newton

 “I’ve run 38 marathons playing the clarinet as I go around – tunes with short notes like When the Saints go Marching In. It would be hard running the marathon playing Aker Bilke’s Stranger on the Shore. My record is playing When the Saints 648 times in one marathon. I raised a lot of money for charity.”

Be female – It’s claimed that on average a female busker earns 3 times what a man earns in the same place, playing the same songs, at the same time of day!

 “It’s a bit of a rumour that women are more successful because you very rarely see them. I suppose it’s a bit of a gimmick!” says Hailey. “But women or men – it’s people with charisma and presence (that make good buskers)”

Last but not least: Practice makes perfect! - People are more likely to drop money in your hat, if they like what they’re hearing.