(WWW) It's Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Carnival around the world. Try not to get hit in the head with a coconut when yelling "Throw me something, mister!".

'Songs in the streets of life: Celebrating the long history of buskers in New Orleans' is an lengthy article showcasing New Orlean's busking & street performing. New Orleans, LouisianA (NOLA) has been around for over 300 years in the "new world". It's history is both enlightening and pitch dark so we'll focus on performance.

The famous French Quarter makes New Orleans second to none when it comes to busking and street performing.

Jackson Square and Royal street are the two main areas of performing. One street north is Bourbon which is out of the question for most buskers. It has an open-container policy...the first in the US....

[ Continued ]

(NEW YORK) The busker with the golden voice has gained fame after being discovered on the streets of New York City and YouTube.James Percell has gone through the school of hard knocks on his way to soothing vocals he performs on the streets of the Bronx, N.Y.

Taking a page from the homeless announcer Ted Williams who found fame and employment from YouTube, Percell was also homeless when he was discovered singing his sweet soulful tunes.

Using social media websites, he has a MySpace page and Facebook fan page that list several of his tracks with titles like Love 4 a Gangster, Control, Shower, and It's Your Body.

Percell wears a cardboard sign that reads: 'Will sing or vocal train you for food or small donation.'

With his Youtube video going viral with over a million hits, will we see movies and albums...

[ Continued ]

There used to be a time when no self-respecting musician would ever bow to corporate pressure and allow their songs to be used to advertise products.

Those days are definitely over, and never more so with the news that Coca-Cola is looking at "incentivising" buskers on the London Underground to include its Holidays Are Coming jingle in their repertoire over the festive period.

Full Story

(AUSTRALIA) Two inexperienced street performers attempt a world tour with no shows, no money, and no contacts. Along the winding way, they are compiling helpful information for fellow buskers who want to travel predominately through music. This includes permit information, busker-friendly hostels, and cheap eats.The Buskers Guide to the Galaxy also includes a link to their facebook page featuring busker jobs - a space where people can advertise and apply for all kinds of buskers and musicians.

Interested in a busker's guide to Malaysia, Brisbane, Adelaide, or Wales? How about some video on the Rundle Mall or sleeping in a car? Busker interviews include Olayo Reynaud, Chris Gun, and Kung Fu Jesus among...

[ Continued ]

Holland, MI — The Downtown Holland Principal Shopping District received a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Holland Area Arts Council to support its Street Performer Series.

The grant, which was awarded through the Regional Regranting Program, totaled $2,880 and will help fund the 2009 Street Performer Series.

The Street Performance Series is a 12-week series featuring regional artists who perform throughout downtown each Thursday evening in the summer.

In 2009, the Street Performer Series is June 11 through Aug. 27.

For more information, visit www.downtownholland.com or contact info@downtownholland.com

HOLLAND SENTINAL