*+,-.,-.'/,0&'12'13&'$1+&&1$ .4'54'6211+,// The man wears plain khaki pants, a navy blue button-down shirt, !'#*!*83$-,%*3.#*%$.*6&%%+.#*9$%,*8+!0:*!'#*9,$%.*0&9(G*A.*,!(*#&''.#* his usual black pinstriped hat and now stands poised behind the micro?,&'.)* !* :!>&&* (%3"'-* !8&"%* ,$(* '.0:* &'* &+#* 93$':+.#* 9$3.G* A$(* 8+".* eyes shine in the dim light, carefully monitoring his audience. The man strums simple chords on his old guitar as his voice carries through the room in upstairs Brocach, a popular Irish pub in Madison, Wisconsin. ;P*+$:.*67*6&%,.3)*P*+$:.*67*6&%,.3Z< The crowd claps and sings along with the repetitive and catchy lyr$0(G*F,.*($'-.3*8&"'0.(*9$%,*%,.*8.!%)*.'0&"3!-$'-*%,.*.'%,"($!(6G*25%.3* the song, he asks for a request. The loudest and quickest answer is hon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focused on mine, giving as much attention as they demand. “I don’t 3.!++7*:'&9*9,7*PH6*#&$'-*%,$()<*23%*4!"+*(!7(*&5*,$(*(%3..%*6"($0*0!3..3G* ;@"%*PH6*'&%*-&$'-*%&*-$/.*$%*"?)*8.0!"(.*PH/.*8..'*#&$'-*$%*%&&*+&'-G< I$%,* !* -"$%!3* -$/.'* %&* ,$6* 87* ,$(* 6&%,.3)*23%* 4!"+* 8.-!'* ?+!7$'-* on the streets of Madison when he was 19 years old. It was the summer &5*]^_`*9,.'*23%*4!"+*:'.9*,.*'..#.#*%&*X'#*9&3:*%&*?!7*5&3*0&++.-.G* M'.*#!7*,.*?+!7.#*,$(*-"$%!3*&'*%,.*(%3..%(*!'#*.!3'.#*!*+$%%+.*0!(,G*A.* (!7()*;P*9!(*%&&*+!>7*%&*+&&:*5&3*!*\&8G*P*-".((*PH6*!*(%3..%*6"($0$!'a<*!'#* he began making enough money to get by, but doing so killed the option to continue his schooling. A.*(!7()*;P*0,&(.*%&*#&*%,$(*8.0!"(.*$%H(*5"'G*P*9!'%*%&*6!:.*!*+$/$'-* #&$'-*9,!%*P*+$:.G*P*#&'H%*9!'%*%&*6!:.*!*+$/$'-*#&$'-*(&6.%,$'-*P*,!%.G< 23%* 4!"+H(* &3$-$'!+$%7* !'#* ?&($%$/.* ?.3(&'!+$%7* ,!/.* '&%* 8..'* ignored. Madison papers have published various articles about him, and 23%* 4!"+* ,!(* ./.'* (..'* ,$6(.+5* &'* %,.* 53&'%* 0&/.3* &5* %,.* !+*,'+#(-,.%/. This summer he was a contestant on America’s Got Talent at the Chicago
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!"#$%$&'()*!'#*!+%,&"-,*,.*#$#*'&%*!#/!'0.1!'#*23%*4!"+*&55.3(*%,!%*,.* 6!7* ,!/.* &'+7* 8..'* !++&9.#* &'* 8.0!"(.* ,.* +&&:.#* ;9.$3#<1,$(* !0%* !(* -"$%!3=* !'#* :!>&&=?+!7$'-* ;@"##7* A&++7* B,..(.,.!#<* ,!(* (..'* &/.3* CD)DDD*/$.9(*&'*E&"F"8.G*23%*4!"+*,!(*!+(&*?+!7.#*&'*B,$0!-&H(*IJK* news program and was mentioned on Comedy Central’s !"#$%&'()%*"&'. @"%* ./.'* %&* ?.&?+.* $'* L!#$(&')* 23%* 4!"+* $(* !* 9&'#.3)* +&/.#* !'#* 0,.3$(,.#* 87* 6!'7G* M'.* 6!')* !* +&0!+* .+.6.'%!37* !3%* %.!0,.3)* N&(,"!* O"#:.* (!7()* ;A.* ,!(* ("0,* !* 83$-,%* ?.3(&'!+$%7* %,!%* PH6* (&* -+!#* ,.H(* $'* %&9'*,.3.)*%,!%*,.H(*!*?!3%*&5*%,$(*0&66"'$%7G<* K&%*&'+7*#&.(*23%*4!"+*93$%.*,$(*&9'*6"($0)*,.*!+(&*?!$'%()*93$%.(* comics, uses comedy in his music, and writes for Madison’s homeless 0&&?.3!%$/.*'.9(?!?.3*Q%3..%*4"+(.G*O"#:.*(!7()*;P%H(*+$:.*!*R.'!$((!'0.* 6!'*53&6*%,.*(%3..%G*P*#&'H%*3.!++7*:'&9*23%*4!"+*?.3(&'!++7)*8"%*P*%37*%&* $'0&3?&3!%.*,$(*(?$3$%*$'*67*0+!((.(*5&3*67*(%"#.'%(G< @!0:* !%* @3&0!0,)* L!3:* 4!3.'%)* !* 0+&(.* 53$.'#* !'#* ("??&3%.3* &5*23%* Paul, sits with him and listens in. Parent has been invaluable with help$'-*23%* 4!"+* 9$%,* ?3$'%$'-* 8"($'.((* 0!3#(* !'#* ,!'-$'-* "?* S7.3(* !3&"'#* Madison. Talking with the two men together, it’s apparent they share a close 8&'#*!'#*0,.3$(,*.!0,*&%,.3H(*0&6?!'7G*23%*4!"+*0&66.'%()*;P%H(*-3.!%*%&* ,!/.*!*53$.'#G*A.*3.!++7*+$:.(*67*6"($0G< 4!3.'%*!-3..()*!'#*%,.'*.T?+!$'()*;A$(*6"($0*$(*"'$U".*8.0!"(.*,.* 6!:.(* "?* ,$(* &9'* 6"($0G* A.* #&.(* $%* 8.0!"(.* ,.* +$:.(* $%)* !'#* $%* 0&6.(* 53&6*%,.*,.!3%G*K&%*6!'7*?.&?+.*0!'*(!7*%,!%G*F,!%H(*9,7*P*%,$':*,.*#&.(* $%*(&*9.++G<* 2'#* %,.* %&?$0(* %,!%* .6.3-.* 53&6* 23%* 4!"+H(* ,.!3%* 0,!'-.* !(* ,$(* inspiration varies. “I write about anything I see or hear or like. I like to write about food, things that are funny, but I also like to write about romance and J&#G*P*%37*%&*($'-*!8&"%*(%"55*P*8.+$./.*$'G<*23%*4!"+H(*#$/.3(.*$'(?$3!%$&'(* are illustrated through his varied song titles: “Purple Bananas (on the L&&'V)<* ;L7* B!%* I!(*F!:$'-* !* @!%,)<* ;Q9!%%$'-* !* W+7)<* ;P'X'$%7)<* !'#* %,.*$'5!6&"(*;A!/.*!*4.!'"%*@"%%.3*Q!'#9$0,)<*%&*'!6.*!*5.9G*23%*4!"+* enjoys when people sing along and request songs to be played. 2*5.9*7.!3(*8!0:)*O"#:.H(*6&%,.3*9!(*$'*L!#$(&'*5&3*L&%,.3H(*Y!7)* !'#*%,.7*3!'*$'%&*23%*4!"+*&'*%,.*(%3..%G*O"#:.*3.U".(%.#*23%*4!"+*?+!7*;P* O$:.*L7*L&%,.3)<*!'#*,.*!-3..#G*
#$$%&'()
;P%*9!(*%,.*0&&+.(%*%,$'-*./.3)<*O"#:.*(!$#G* “It’s just so simple and sincere. It was a beautiful %,$'-G<* P'*%,.*#$6*+$-,%*&5*@3&0!0,)*23%*4!"+H(*5!0.* is alight, and his head bobs enthusiastically. “I like the word spontaneous. I want to be sponta'.&"(*$5*P*0!')<*,.*(!7(G*23%*4!"+H(*3&"%$'.*#$55.3(* from day to day as he searches for the changing pace in every day life and new opportunities that can and will arise from being open-minded in a life of constant instability and change. 23%* 4!"+* .'\&7(* ,$(* +$5.* !(* !* (%3..%* 6"($cian and is willing to settle for a lower income. ;P* 6!:.* (!03$X0.(* &%,.3* ?.&?+.* #&'H%* 9!'%* %&* 6!:.)<*23%*4!"+*(!7(G* 2'#* 9,$+.* 23%* 4!"+* $(* ?3&8!8+7* 3$-,%* $'* thinking that many people wouldn’t make the (!6.* (!03$X0.()* 6!'7* ?.&?+.* #&* 3.(?.0%* !'#* recognize his integrity. B$%7* +&0!+* !'#* !3%* %.!0,.3)* O"#:.* ,!(* &'+7* $'%.3!0%.#* 9$%,* 23%* 4!"+* &'* (./.3!+* &00!($&'()* but said of the guitar strumming, kazoo hum6$'-* (%3..%* 6"($0$!')* ;A.H(* &'.* &5* %,.* 6&(%* unique and original musicians that I’ve ever had %,.*?+.!("3.*%&*6..%G*A.H(*!*-&&#*-"7G< P'* @3&0!0,)* 23%* 4!"+* (6$+.(* 9,$+.* ,$(* 8+".* eyes glimmer in the dim light, happiness and 5"+X++6.'%*./$#.'%*$'*,$(*./.37*9&3#*!'#*!0%$&'G* A.* 0+!?(* !'#* 0,..3(* 5&3* %,.* &%,.3* 6"($0$!'(* !%* the open mic as he sits in the company of one &5*,$(*8.(%*53$.'#(G*A.*6!7*'&%*8.*!*8.(%=(.++$'-* recording artist, but in his own special way, his music has made a mark on the city of Madison, and his iconic guitar and kazoo hits bring life to the streets.
craig | marc-anthony lecky
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