Busking teaches you what works

Cris Cohen: Your voice still has this amazing strength to it. How is it so strong after belting it out in clubs and theaters all over the world?

Fur Dixon: For quite a long time, maybe 25 - 27 years, I was playing a lot of acoustic, solo (shows). But I also did a lot of busking. The reason I went off the path to more singer-songwriter stuff was because I had a child. And I just didn't have the time to have a band. So I started busking in New York City and at art festivals. And it was really lucrative. Wow! It was shocking how you could open up your case and play tunes… I guess if you're good enough. The first time I ever busked I didn't have anywhere to put the money because I didn't know I was going to make any money and I came home with like $93 in an hour. It was so much change, it was stuffed in my pockets, and I didn't even have a plastic bag on me to put the change in. So busking teaches you what works and what doesn't and how to project.