I'm raising money for basic needs so I can have a roof over my head and work on getting things together.

Larry the Bucketman

Why I'm using HandUp for my basic needs.

I am fundraising so that I can have a place to stay and help with basic needs (food, clothing). I'm currently living on the streets in front of the youth center on Ellis Street. All I really want is a place to sleep at night that is indoors.

About me.

I'm Larry the Bucketman, and I'm a street performer. I've been playing drums since I was three years old. This is what we do to make ends meet. We get gigs too, to keep us going. I have buckets that I use and then I switch over to my drumset. I do four shows a day just to make ends meet, and I have the City Hall backing me up so I can do what I do--to keep me out there playing.

I work on 4th & Market, Montgomery & Market at lunchtime, and then from 7:30 until 9:30-10, I play up on Geary & Powell with my band--New Funk Generation Band--with Ryan Compton on bass and we perform for the tourists who come to see our city.

My backstory.

I'm not from here, I'm from Kansas--the land of Oz. In Kansas, my daddy and my grandmother raised me until I was 13. I don't know my mom, just her name; I haven't looked for her. My daddy said, "Whatever you doing, just keep doing it." Those were his last words. That's what I'm doing with my drumming. I want my mom to know that her son is still alive. I'm following the yellow brick road toward success, making people happy and making me happy. For 20 years, I've been out here in San Francisco making people happy with my music. Everyone knows me from the movies Pursuit of Happyness and First Sunday, the Intel commercial, Cece Williams and Janice's Love Groove show, and my video of the Obama song with Michael Walden, produced live in his studio. I've had a lot of people helping me to keep going with my career--they have faith in me.

My goals, moving forward.

My goals are to have a roof over my head and to play my music and make people happy. That's all I want.

Other things I'd like to share about myself.

My wildest dream is to perform for the whole world, live on TV, and get recognized for my talent--the gift that God gave me--and show people to believe in themselves, and don't let anything keep you from your destiny and your goal. When things get rough, you'll get through them. Just have faith and keep going.

I'm going to America's Got Talent. Edward Johnson, the tap dancer who was in the commercial with me, is going to join me for the show. It would be great if you could vote for us when you see us! I know that we're doing something that no one else is doing, and I believe in it. When you have a dream, you go for it. It's hard work. And I'm living proof of that.