San Francisco's 'Bucket Man' Larry Hunt has died at 64

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

The man who brought a percussive soundtrack to the streets of San Francisco has died.

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

Larry Hunt, who called himself the Bucket Man, performed downtown for decades, drumming on five-gallon buckets, pots and pans and a cowbell all the while flashing big smiles at passersby.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

LARRY HUNT: (Singing, inaudible).

CHANG: Hunt grew up in Kansas before making his way to the San Francisco Bay Area. Despite a lot of noise complaints over the years and police confiscating his kit on at least one occasion, he kept on drumming.

SUMMERS: And he was a showman, too. He would light his drumsticks on fire and keep the beat going before extinguishing the flames in his mouth.

CHANG: Hunt's fame as a busker even brought him a film cameo in the 2006 Will Smith movie "The Pursuit Of Happiness." And he also got an invitation to give a TEDx Talk in 2012.

(SOUNDBITE OF TEDx TALK)

HUNT: My music and my happiness - I'm always happy. I'm hurting inside, but outside, I'm happy 'cause I make y'all happy. I put a smile on your face. So remember that. Be happy till you see another day. Be strong, y'all.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

HUNT: (Singing in Spanish).

SUMMERS: Larry Hunt, the Bucket Man, died last week. He was 64.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

HUNT: (Singing) Feeling hot, hot, hot.

Hello. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.