Glen Creeg, accordion player by Laura Bain by OpenFile Halifax
Busking—the art of playing music in the street for money—is what Halifax's Glen Creeg has been making a living at for 15 years. But for him, it’s more than just playing music for pocket change. Laura Bain's audio piece (above) has the full story (Transcript below).
Busker Glen Creeg
Glen Creeg is an easy guy to spot and see in downtown Halifax.
He’s a big guy with a friendly face and a gruff voice.
And he plays the accordion.
The type of music I play, accordion music... it’s sorting of bringing it back that type of music... you don’t hear too many accordion players anymore. The older people seem to certainly enjoy it here. Bringing back a lot of the memories of that music for the older people and they enjoy it.
The 61-year-old man parks his electric scooter on the corner of Spring Garden and Dresden Row every day. He starts at eight in the morning.
He sets up his accordion case propped open to receive toonies and loonies.
He already has six bucks by 9 a.m.
A sign is propped up inside the case that reads “Thank you, have a nice day.” He belts out tunes for five hours in between coffee and smoke breaks. And conversations with people passing by.
You meet a lot of people from different places—Moncton or Montreal. In the summertime you meet them from all over the word, coming in on the cruise ship. It’s nice. It’s something I enjoy very much.
In his younger years, Glen worked construction jobs bouncing around the province. Until he got sick.
After I got older, I moved up here to Halifax. And I had an aneurysm taken out of my stomach. That slowed me down a little bit. And after that I had collapsed lungs. But you keep doing the best that you do, that’s all.
So he started busking to make some extra cash to supplement his Canada pension. And it’s pretty profitable.
In the summertime, back about five years ago, or somewhere around that time... the American dollar was up then, I think it was 60 cents on the American dollar... I could easily make $300 in three hours!
But to Glen, busking is about more than just making money.
I try to be half decent to people. Show them some manners and take the time to talk to them. It’s not only a matter of throwing money in my accordion case and sort of “OK, I’ve got the money, get out of my sight.” Y’know, take a few minutes, talk to the people, ask them where they’re from, or y’know and take the time and speak to them. They took the time to give you the money, so take the time to speak to them. And it’s helped me to change a lot of my ways too—my attitudes towards things and people.
And music helped him fight his personal demons.
I’ve had a big problem with alcohol. I know what addiction can do to people. It’s taken me down, I ended up with nothing. Not once, but many times. And startin’ over and startin’ over but as you get older, the startin’ over takes a toll on ya.
And music kind of helped you with these issues?
Ya, ya...
Even though the weather’s getting colder, Glen says he’ll stay out playing his accordion as long as he can.
I’ll stay out in it as long as my fingers can stand to play. And if it makes the people happy, good. I’ll be here until I can’t play anymore.
For OpenFile Halifax, I'm Laura Bain.
