For Gerald Wills, music isn’t just a hobby, but part of his daily routine. It’s what he loves to do and it shows.
The 80-year-old Campbell Riverite, originally from B.C.’s interior, says he takes to downtown streets pretty much every day, busking while performing his own original ‘authentic Canadian’ songs for people as they stroll by.
A lot of the time, he sets his mic up outside the RBC Bank on Shoppers Row. Other days, locals might find him performing outside the downtown CIBC, or at the Sunday Farmers Market.
No matter where he is, Wills has his Taylor 12-string guitar in his hands and his dog, Maggie, by his side.
“Every day, I try to get down here in the morning. It’s my time,” Wills tells My Campbell River Now. “In the summer, when it’s warm enough… well March, April, May, June, July, August, and sometimes September.”
He continues, “As a musician, this is the obvious place to be because there are no gigs to be had, nothing like that. This is the place to be because I want to sing for people and I want to make a bit of money too.”
Wills doesn’t just perform his songs for fun – it’s his job. He’s been doing it for over 50 years, and for him, the job keeps getting better and better.
Through the years, he has been able to foster connections with countless people. Some will help fill up his guitar case with money, while others will stop for a chat. Oftentimes, it’s both. “It’s brief, but it’s really solid,” Wills says.
“It’s sort of like being a Walmart greeter. You say ‘good morning’ and ‘have a great day’ and stuff like that. Then there will come a time down the road and I’ll say, ‘well, you know, that guy always talks to me.’ So I’ll go over and say hello.”
“This is the reason why I do this, because of folks that come along and talk, and then we sit and talk. That’s the real reason, I love to meet people.”
When it comes to performing on the street or busking, Wills wants to help those in the same boat. “I’ve been thinking about writing a series of articles on how to do this,” he says. “A lot of people try busking and apparently they don’t do too well.”
For Wills, there’s a whole method involved. “It’s entertainment, yes, but it’s something more. There’s more to it than that. And I’m not sure what it is yet, but I’ll figure it out,” he adds.
