Homeless musicians band together for arena-ready country performance
Two homeless men met in the streets and formed a two-man band that blew the crowd away!
Johndel Callora
11.09.20

Talent can be found in anyone regardless of who they are.

It is a gift that should be harnessed and shared. And these two men made people stop in their tracks in awe upon hearing so much talent from unexpected people in an unexpected place.

Singing is about more than just a beautiful voice.

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It’s about life, experiences, and how those experiences connect the singer to the song to make the words and music come alive.

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The vagabond performing in the video could be singing on any stage in the world and it would not come off as a surprise.

He effortlessly belts Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” as he busks his way in the busy streets of Detroit. His name is Herbie Russ, and some of you might have recognized this guy as one of the acts in America’s Got Talent last 2017.

Herbie was a problematic guy during his early years.

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Aside from being a high school dropout, he got kicked out of his parents’ house because he was using drugs.

That’s when he started his life as an itinerant musician. He wandered like this for several years, drifting along with the crowd until he had an epiphany in 1991.

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Seeing the issues homeless people had to contend with inspired Herbie to help in his own way.

Since then it became his mission to help the homeless people in Detroit through his passion of singing.

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In 2016, he began working with noted comedian and video prankster Tom Mabe on a series of videos starring Russ as Homeless Herbie.

In them, Russ poses as a beggar who then shocks people with his powerful singing.

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In the video, he decided to approach Jim who is a guitarist.

Together they performed for the crowd. Herbie’s voice was laced with so much pride for his craft and dedication to his calling, while Jim’s eyes were filled with glee and hope.

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Despite their situation, their love for their homeland remained unfaltering.

That even if life and society have not treated them well, they’ll continue to provide optimism and happiness to the people around them. In the latter part of the video, they performed Florida Georgia Line’s “H.O.L.Y.”

“I stay thankful and play music for folks. That is the joy, and that’s the joy that still keeps me going.”

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Herbie has a successful music career now, lending his vocal skills to commercial clients like AT&T, The Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Fox.

He is also the voice behind the Detroit Tigers theme song “Home Again,” a staple at Comerica Park.

A versatile and crowd-pleasing performer, Russ is a passionate singer and saxophonist who has also made his mark as a keyboardist, producer and songwriter.

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But achieving fame has not made him forget where he came from, nor the people he has known in the process.

Just as impressively, he has also raised thousands of dollars for the homeless in Detroit and beyond.

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Truly a commendable man!

He’s someone from whom we all can learn a thing or two. In all, we should accentuate the positive amidst the dark parts of our lives, and we should have compassion beyond justs feeling other people’s pain. The best thing is to find a way to relieve it.

Check out the full performance in the link below:

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