3 Contemporary Country Musicians Who Mastered Their Craft by Busking on The Streets

The path to becoming a famous professional musician is hard, plain and simple. That being so, people chasing this dream will seemingly stop at nothing to achieve it. Whether it be eliminating one’s social life to focus on the craft or contacting countless people to have their music promoted, if one wants to achieve this dream they must stop at nothing. This also possibly includes shedding one’s pride and busking on the street.

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If one is unfamiliar with the term “busking,” it simply means to play live on the streets. Musicians such as Doc Watson, Don Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, and so many other musicians have done this not only to make ends meet but to also, on the off chance, get seen by the right person. Typically, it’s a thankless job as not much money is made and the right person never walks by. However, what it does do is help musicians master their craft and ability to perform live. It’s an underrated practice, though, not to these contemporary country musicians.

Sierra Ferrell

Sierra Ferrell is the very character she professes to be in her songs. Born in West Virginia, she left her home state due to the opioid epidemic and became a full-time modern-day hobo. Romantic, isn’t it? Well, in a way, yes, but to her busking and hopping around were her means of survival. Scoring a record deal and national fandom seemingly wasn’t part of the motivation.

Nonetheless, before she landed her record deal she spent her time traveling back in forth from Seattle to New Orleans. By playing on street corners and making little money, Ferrell was able to turn her survival tactic into a thriving tactic. As she is now arguably the most famous female Americana artist in the world.

@hollercountry

@Sierra Ferrell busking on the streets of Arcata in 2017 💘 we can’t wait to see what 2024 brings for the West Virginia trailblazer ⚡️⚡️ Sierra’s just announced her next album, Trail Of Flowers, due on March 22, along with a brand new track ‘Dollar Bill Bar’ 📻 More at the link in bio. (🎥 BridgeStreetMagic @youtube)

♬ original sound – Holler

Charley Crockett

Like Ferrell, Charley Crockett is the embodiment of the characters he writes about in his songs. Matter of fact, he and Ferrel have lots of similarities, as Crockett was also a frequent nomad and hitchhiker. His All-American travels led him all across the country, he played in New Orleans, Dallas, and eventually New York City.

On The Daily Show, Crockett opened up about his time in NYC and how he went from busking the streets to opening for Willie Nelson. He stated on the show, “The first time I ever played in this city was 15 years back” and “The first bridge I ever played underneath in Central Park I played about 100 yards from it…opening for Willie Nelson.” Given Crockett’s history, if you don’t think you can make it, he surely didn’t either, but you just got to keep trying.

The Avett Brothers

Before The Avett Brothers became the most well-known family Americana duo, they frequently graced the streets with their flawless harmonies and impeccable picking. Most notably in 2001, which is when they traveled across the entire country and lived merely off the money they earned from busking. To them and their bluegrass/folk genre, to busk and survive on little was a way to become better songwriters and musicians, as well as a way to live out the stories of their musical heroes.

Scott Avett revealed the motivation for the trip by stating, “We wanted to experience some type of traveling as a poverty-stricken journey” and “It was a real rite of passage, something I felt like I had to do before giving myself permission to be a performer.”

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