MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Myrtle Beach musicians want the city of Myrtle Beach to remove its ban against “busking,” which would allow artists to play on street corners receiving tips from bystanders.
Dennis Fox says he started playing his guitar along Ocean Boulevard when he turned 18. In 2016, he says he bought a year-round busking pass through the city for $750 allowing him to play wherever, but the city banned all busking last summer.
“I can’t understand why it is that I’m not allowed to do it anymore, even if it’s for free, just to plug my amp in and share my music with people and not ask for money and not have an open case and not have any way to collect money,” argues Fox.
Michelle Kerscher, treasurer with the Oceanfront Merchant Association says last summer some buskers played inappropriate lyrics and got in the way of lines.
“We would get late night calls with many complaints, not only about where they were set up, but about what music and it wasn’t exactly family friendly, and we are doing everything we can to keep this area as friendly family as possible,” says Kerscher.
She says although they aren’t allowing busking this summer for Hot Summer Nights like they have in years past, the idea of allowing musicians on the street isn’t necessarily gone for good.
“I think that at any point in the future if we decide to issue busking passes we would have to have a much more strict process as to who we allow down here,” comments Kerscher.
