Multimedia Reporting (Adler-Utsler)

Part I: Guitar Dave

“I’ve been a brick dog for eight years,” Guitar Dave (who wanted to be referred to by his performing name in this piece) says with acoustic guitar in his leathery calloused hands outside of Signs of Life coffee and bookstore in the heart of downtown Lawrence. Books & Art, Truth & Beauty repeat in white lettering at the bottom of the giant glass windowpanes of the store.

Outside sits Dave—a 51 year-old homeless man. He often sits on the sidewalk strumming his guitar. His black hard-shell acoustic guitar case lies open. Dave has a full, black beard, wears a red bandana, dark sunglasses, blue jeans, and a black leather jacket. He describes himself as being “counter culture,” but says he wasn’t always like this.

“I was part of the original Jesus people—the Jesus freak movement,” Dave says. Then, in his senior year of college, “I had a close friend who was taken out (killed) by one of those serial killer pigs (police officers). It kind of made me realize my faith was not as strong as I thought it was. I got mad at society and God. The tragedy at Kent State affected me a lot too. I’ve been pretty much counter culture ever since” Dave says.

However, until June of 1999 Dave was a member of the workforce like most adults. He worked custodial jobs at places like Ellsworth Hall, Murphy Hall and the Kansas Union.

“Most of my time in the workforce has been spent up on the hill,” he says. When he wasn’t doing custodial jobs he was still working at the low end of the pay scale. “For 18 months I worked at the alumni center busting suds—dishwashing.”

Then, in the summer of 2000, his girlfriend of two years was found dead underneath a bridge. He said according to the autopsy she died of heat exposure, malnutrition, and dehydration. After her death Dave decided to become a full-time street musician. He had no desire to return to the workforce afterwards.

“After my woman died I had a hard time making any of this matter so I decided with the time I got left I’m going to do what I love. It’s not exactly lucrative, but that’s ok. When a coin comes down I’m grateful, but when one doesn’t I’m still doing what I love.”

What Dave loves to do is play music. Since Jimi Hendrix died in 1970 he remembers, “Practically every other kid on the block wanted to be the next Hendrix. We got guitars and got busy.”

Today his music echoes legendary rock music from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Dave cites bands like Pink Floyd, Grand Funk Railroad and Led Zeppelin as some of his musical influences.

Almost thirty years later he still remembers the time he almost got to see Led Zeppelin perform. “The year I was going to go to the concert, which was ’79, Bonham fucked up and drank himself to death. It was disappointing,” he adds.

But, long after Jimi Hendrix died and Led Zeppelin disbanded, Dave’s still playing guitar. He’s been playing for thirty-seven years. He plays seven days a week on the street (weather permitting from April to October).

When the weather gets too nasty Dave works as a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army—also where he stays during the winter months. However, he says he only does that if he’s “not doing a stint in the county.” He adds that he can make roughly $2500 if he works the six-week holiday shift.

Once the snow melts and humid sunny weather returns to Lawrence, Dave heads back to the street—unlike most local street musicians he says. “I’ve been out here longer than any of them. Most of these guys are here for a year or two seasons (two years).”

On a good day Dave can make $30 or more playing his guitar on the street. He said the best day he ever had occurred last year when he made $180 in twelve hours.

With the money he earns Dave buys cigarettes, sandwiches, and alcohol. He admits to having a drinking problem.

"I’m also an alcoholic, which means I’m not always in top form. I usually try to keep the drinking and playing separate, but it doesn’t always pan out that way.”

When in top form, Dave draws crowds and recording offers. In fact, “Four different guys over this past year have come by and said they want to record me and put it on a CD and distribute it, but so far it’s all been talk—yak yak.”

However, one man recently recorded Dave’s rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s Little Wing and posted it on Youtube. “It’s good exposure,” Dave says. As for original tracks, Dave says he’s written about ten.

Dave’s had a lot of time to think since leaving the workforce eight years ago. He’s learned from the street “It’s not about what hits you; it’s about how you handle what hits you.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkQW1dPL92M
(Guitar Dave Playing "Little Wing" on Mass Street)

Part II: Anthony

It’s now mid-October and Dave is preparing to head back to the Salvation Army for the off-season. However, this year will be different.

Anthony Williamson, Dave’s son, is a skinny 18 year-old with a tenor voice and scraggly black facial hair (not too unlike his father’s beard) fresh out of high school. This year Williamson will be taking a year off—but he plans on spending his year off on the street with his dad (so far Williamson has been out here for three weeks).

According to Williamson, he decided to leave home after a friend of his stole some of his mother’s diabetes pills and his mother blamed him for it. “He’s a druggie and he thought it was going to get him something,” he says of his friend.

Another reason Williamson is here now is because he wants to be with his father. He remembers sneaking off to see his father play on the street when he was a kid. He says before he turned eighteen his mother forbid him to go see his father.

“Before then I’d see him every day—or as many days as I could.” Williamson is reluctant to say why his mother did not want him seeing his father. Then, his dad pipes in.
“I pretty much drank myself out of the marriage,” Dave says in his slow drawl, looking away from his guitar for a few seconds.

However, Dave’s son has had his own struggles too. Though he graduated high school last May, he says, “Nobody thought I was going to be able to do it. Except for computer programming I was pretty much flunking out of everything.”

Williamson says computer programming helped him stay focused to graduate. “I got mad skills on the computer,” he adds. Although if programming doesn’t work out, he plans to go into graphic design. “I’m an artist also,” he says.

Williamson, like his dad, plays guitar. “Him (my dad) and Jimi Hendrix are pretty much my inspiration for my guitar playing,” Williamson adds. “I’m going to be trying to get as good as him. When I get enough practice, we’re going to do Hotel California. When I’m good enough I’d like to see if I can be in some of my papa’s work.”