(TORONTO) An article at Action Coach Warren has a story on busking that may surprise most.In it, Warren declares his love for buskers. Citing the Toronto Buskerfest as North America's largest, he notes the requirements as being "courage, confidence, good humour and, possibly, a little insanity."

While we usually hear reports from buskers themselves, it's a rare positive review that comes from the edge. Also mentioned is the fact that busking is mostly an urban event and that the love of the city is a necessary.

As Coach Warren observes, "Busking is one of the purest expressions of the entrepreneurial spirit. Buskers work incredibly hard at their craft in an attempt to provide maximum entertainment value. In doing so, they hope to receive maximum value from their audience."

You can...

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(SHANGHAI) The magazine That's Shanghai has published a detailed account of a Laowai busker's adventures entitled "Streetside Serenade". Over the past few years, China has relaxed it's laws against any crowd forming in public.As Benjamin Lipschitz reveals, "I soon discovered the true beauty of sidewalks: all cities had them! I traveled to Shandong, Shaanxi, Fujian, Hong Kong and eventually Taiwan. I got more ambitious. I went to the United States and eventually to Mexico where I lived for a year and a half. Everywhere I went, I found that by seeking sustenance in the streets with my music, I could learn more about a place and its culture than by visiting tourist sites."

And that's just the beginning of a fascinating account of a true world-class...

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(NEW ORLEANS) Celebrating 300 years in the making, New Orleans is currently busy with Mardi Gras, Jazz, and the French Quarter festivals. A visit by Busker Central reporters for a month reveals some interesting developments along with a deep history.Bourbon street in "da qwada" is traditionally known for it's late-night activities, bars, drunks, fights, and arrests. It's still a wild place but not too suitable for busking. Jackson Square mall is known for it's daytime bands, painters, and psychic readers. Now, one block off Bourbon, Royal street is really nice and becoming popular for buskers both day and night. Among the historic quaint shops, several jazz bands and others buskers have sprung up. And who can blame them? It's probably the best single street that embodies the French Quarter at it's best....

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(INTERNET) The leaves are turning a fantastic color of orange in direct sunlight. Along with Fall comes the cold North wind blowing down the alley and snow finding it's way into the tiniest crevice. To top it off, the holidays are coming and we're considering presents to purchase.Busker's Holiday is a new work just published by author Adam Gussow, an associate professor of English and Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi. It's the kind of book you want to curl up and read on a cold winter's night as you sit and contemplate next year's show. It warms your mind as you learn it's Summer all over again.

Gussow (or as the locals call him, Mister Satan) establishes Busker's Holiday as a story of one McKay Chernoff, a Columbia University grad student with a harmonica in his pocket and a blues band in...

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(WWW) Contrary to popular belief, it's probably better to have no talent whatsoever when first starting off busking. This is great news for those just starting.If you want to get involved with busking but don't know where to start, this information will prove invaluable to you. However, if you're a musician of several years, you'll probably want to use your talent to produce music.

Musicians are the most popular, the most talented, and least paid. Unless you have professional tapes and cd's produced ready to sell, the muse faces the task of entertaining a walk-by audience for tips then selling cd's. The best pass the hat. Musicians take years to perfect their craft. Some stay with it and become excellent artists while many give up and pursue other venues. Musicians also usually sing so they must...

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