AXE MAN: Dylan Butler, 11, rocks out at his Cooranbong home. Picture: David Stewart
COORANBONG schoolboy Dylan Butler, 11, has wowed music lovers at the Byron Bay Bluesfest, earning $500 in his first busking gig.
Among the songs that raked in the most coins were his covers of AC/DC hits including Highway to Hell and Back in Black.
But just to prove that it can be a long way to the top for buskers who want to rock and roll, Dylan cannot gain approval to busk in Morisset.
Dylan launched his busking career when he plugged in his electric guitar at a surf shop fronting the beach at Byron Bay and entertained fans with blues and rock classics.
Beachgoers loved it, and the shop's owner welcomed him back for three consecutive days because his music attracted customers.
"He made about $500 from three one-hour sessions on the pavement outside the shop and passers-by stopped, listened and chipped in," his mother, Belinda, said.
"My husband Tim and I went to see Cold Chisel, John Fogerty and the John Butler Trio perform at the Bluesfest and were pleasantly surprised with the enthusiastic response to Dylan's music.
"He played AC/DC and some blues as well which clicked with the festival's music lovers."
Byron Bay evidently welcomes promising musos, no matter how young, but to date that apparently hasn't been the case with the Lake Macquarie City Council.
"I applied to the council for a busker's licence for Dylan and was told to ring back in three months and when I did I was informed that the busking licence issue hadn't been sorted out," Belinda said.
Ideally, Dylan would like to play at Morisset Square.
But that aim is proving an elusive dream for the young muso who started playing an acoustic guitar three years ago and now plays electric guitar under the tuition of former Rose Tattoo guitarist Dai Pritchard and Warren Adams (Epic Guitars) at Morisset.
"If he can't get a busker's licence to play in Morisset then we may try the Gosford City Council," Belinda said.
A Lake Macquarie City Council spokesperson said the council was developing a busking policy and permit system for busking on council-owned land.
However, if a busker wanted to perform at Morisset Square the shopping centre's management would have to be contacted because it was privately owned.
Footnote: Wangi Wangi's Ollie Brown, 21, who was crowned the best busker in Australia in January, also performed at the Bluesfest.
