Was LIGHTFOOT a BUSKER on Yonge St.in the 60's?
 

according to this guy he dropped coins in Lightfoot's open guitar case while he sang as a busker on Yonge St. in the 60's..

RON may have some memories...

http://strathdee.wordpress.com/

Re: Was LIGHTFOOT a BUSKER on Yonge St.in the 60's?
 

Can't say for sure whether or not Gord busked in Toronto prior to my arrival but when I landed there in the mid sixties there was no shortage of buskers on Toronto streets. And some of the material you would hear was real good stuff.

Gord was playing Steele's Tavern, The Riverboat, places in Yorkville Village, mainly the folk circuit at that time and was well on his way to Massey Hall.

It sure was an incentive to get me started as a busker though and I do it regularly and love it every time.

For the very reasonable fee of $41.10 a busker permit can be purchased from the City of Toronto. They are renewed every March.

Many famous name entertainers busked at one time or another and they come from all walks of life and musical genre.

Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Tom Jones just to name a few. And then there would be famous violinist Joshua Bell from the classical end of things.

Even Ben Franklin busked.

It's a great to way to rehearse new material, relieve stress, entertain an audience and even come home with a few bucks in your pocket. How could you top that eh?

Re: Was LIGHTFOOT a BUSKER on Yonge St.in the 60's?
 

I've never heard that he was a busker as he, like you say, was already in the coffee shoppes and clubs...
lightfoot .ca has these events and I don't think at this level of success he was having during these years he was busking anywhere:

*1964*
- Lightfoot becomes influenced by Dylan. Although he'd written 75 songs prior to that time, they didn't contain an "identity." His writing now begins to flourish. (Read More...)
- He writes Early Morning Rain on a hot summer afternoon.
- Ian & Sylvia come to Steele's Tavern in Toronto to hear Lightfoot and come away very impressed. They eventually record some Lightfoot songs which leads to Lightfoot being signed by the influential Albert Grossman management agency from New York.
- Peter, Paul and Mary's recording of For Lovin' Me reaches the US top 20.
- Lightfoot plays the Toronto Teacher's College. The significance of this show was that it marked the first time he had done an entire show of his own material.
- In December, he records the tracks for his debut album for United Artists in a New York Studio.

*1965*
- Appears at the prestigious Newport Folk Festival and is there when Dylan goes "electric". (Read More...)
- Lightfoot makes the 18 hour train trip to Moosenee in northern Ontario on the shore of James Bay and the journey inspires Steel Rail Blues.
- When Lightfoot was signed to WB's in 1965 a party was held for him at Steele's Tavern - sandwiches courtesy of WB's, beer courtesy of Steele's.
- He lived for a time in Detroit near Wayne State University at Joni and Chuck Mitchell's apartment and performed at area clubs like Chess Mate.
- Makes an appearance on the Tonight Show.
- Marty Robbins' recording of Ribbon Of Darkness spends 7 months on the C&W charts, reaching #1, and wins the ASCAP writer-publisher award.
- Red Shea and John Stockfish are recruited as Lightfoot's touring and recording band. (Read More...)
- In November he makes his New York debut at the Town Hall.
- On November 13, the Yarmouth Castle catches fire and sinks off of Miami.

*1966*
- In January, Lightfoot! is released by United Artists.
- In February he draws 3,500 to Varsity Stadium in Toronto.
- In February he completes a nine city tour of the British Isles with Ian & Sylvia, beginning at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester and finishing up at the Fairfield Hall in London.
- In May he completes a successful run at Toronto's Riverboat coffeehouse. (Read More...)
- Lightfoot is commissioned by the CBC to write a song about the building of the Canadian railway for Canada's centennial. The result is of course, Canadian Railroad Trilogy.

Re: Was LIGHTFOOT a BUSKER on Yonge St.in the 60's?
 

he may have done some in Orillia or while in LA in the late 50s while schooling

I never heard it mention at the website… you will have to ask him next chat

http://lightfoot.ca/chron02.htm