We've all found ourselves at one point or another staring in fascination at a busking mime or a talented street musician.In recent years, busking, the term for performing in public places usually for money from the crowd, has grown into an organized art form complete with professional networks, associations and showcase festivals around the world.

Here in the United States, cities such as Miami, San Francisco, New York and New Orleans have become known for their thriving busking scenes.

Take Maria for instance. A longtime busker in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Maria acts as a human statue, completely still, covered in metallic gold paint and dressed in a matching antique wedding gown. While one may think Maria, often referred to as the Jilted Bride, just stands there doing nothing, her motionless presence...

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NEW YORK — The Naked Cowboy of Times Square says he's dropping out of the race for New York mayor.Robert "Bob" Burck is a tourist attraction known for strumming his guitar in the square while wearing only briefs and a cowboy hat.

He entered the mayoral race in July with the slogan, “Nobody has done more with less.”

But now, he says he's had enough of the red tape that goes with a mayoral run.

He says the last straw came when the city's Conflicts of Interest Board fined him $250 for failing to file a required financial disclosure form.

Mr. Burck says the only way to be taken seriously is to appear in a suit and tie.

"And away he goes...skidmarks and all," said a Times Squar...

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Whether you're a beginner or seasoned pro, there's always room for improvement when it comes to busking. Amazon has started carrying interesting books written by and for buskers for the worldwide busking community. Both fiction and non-fiction are covered in 6 amazing pages.Topics include making cash doing what you love, various how-to guides, essays about street performing, stepping out into the streets for the first time, enjoying public life, balloon busking, busking beyond borders, busking as a mercenary art, notes from London's underground, fire breathing, a busking bible, European street musicians, surviving half alive, songs sang on Bleecker street and other popular venues - all sharing tips, secrets and dreamy wishes from the pros. There's even a music book for a guide to busking....

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(WWW) Let us now review the 12 Golden Rules of Busking and street-performing lest we get sidetracked displaying good performances.This time around, we find ourselves re-examining our environment to see if there's any room for improvement. But before we go any further, lets us remember the one Golden rule that spans all spiritualities across the globe. This is probably the best advice you'll receive in your lifetime.

"You’ll get drunks, nutters, thieves, pensioners informing you that you suck and hoodies gobbing in your case. Take it all on the chin. If you get heckled, laugh it off. If you get robbed, don’t chase them. Dealing with borderline psychopaths is an invaluable lesson for anyone hoping to further their career."

Ain't it the truth... ...

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With bits and pieces from Bob Dylan, the Old Crow Medicine Show has gathered a following in the contemporary musical landscape. A repertoire of songs ended up in a street-corner string band with frontman Ketch Secor leading the way. From a Dylan snippet, the song "Wagon Wheel" attracted the attention of Coldplay and an album was to follow.

Bob Dylan was to lend another lyrical scrap to their next noticable song "Sweet Amarillo" which enabled "the Crows" to officially join the Nashville scene in the hallowed Grand Ole Opry. They also received accolades from the Americana Music Awards as "Trailblazers".

The album "Remedy" topped the iTunes Country Albums chart with an old-time string band template. With "Remedy", the Old Crow Medicine Show has established...

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