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Busking for the Big Bucks
By
Jen Carlson
Published Sep 27, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Sep 27, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Ever wonder what keeps the street musicians that play for change going back to the subway and sidewalk everyday? Well, it's not the music. In fact, when we asked the Naked Cowboy "Who do you 'owe it all to' and is it all about the music?" He replied, "I owe it all to myself, and it's all about me!" Whether or not it's to hone their craft, some of these folks are pulling in some serious cash.
Obviously The Naked Cowboy is an example of how much one person can make by entertaining the passerby and tourists -- he pulls in just under $400K a year ($1000 in ten hours)! Some other "better known" street musicians makes from $75/hour to $200/day -- though it's unclear how many hours are in their day. Of course, if you're one of the most famous classical musicians in the world, you may only make $32.17 in an hour. Follow a week in the life of two street buskers, Heth and Jed, who kept a diary for us last year, here.
Photo via Arve Johnsen's Flickr.
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News: NYC
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The Naked Cowboy
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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