Buster Luscombe | An Irish Balladeer from Cobh
He’s the quintessential Irish balladeer and I found him in a quintessential Irish bar in the island village of Cobh.
Buster Luscombe, who also goes by Billy, was playing his guitar to a packed house at Kelly’s Bar in Cobh. I just happened to hear him from down the street and stopped in for a pint. His lilting voice seemed to work like a magnet filling every seat in the house.
“I don’t fancy meself a singer”, he told me on a break,”I am basically an entertainer.”
He plays here a lot, but frequents a number of other pubs around Cobh as well. And he was happy to share his backstory.
Buster Luscombe, of Cobh: Irishman, welder, world traveler and entertainer.
Originally from Cobh, he spent most of his life traveling and working as a welder. From Somalia to Bangladesh and all through Europe, he travelled and welded. And at the age of 60 he decided to return home. Kelly’s Bar is where he landed just a few years ago. And Kelly’s Bar is where I heard him.
Buster, also known as Billy, loves the pace of cruise ships coming and going at the Cobh Port. It gives him an ever-changing audience. He has partnered with another musician now, to put out a CD.
Yes he explains the title of his book…in his book.
Just last year he wrote a book about what he calls his lonely, lonely life.
But it sure looks like he’s making friends left and right these days.
You can find both his book and his CD on his website: https://www.facebook.com/p/Buster-Luscombe-100012875839145/
And you can hear him tell his story in his own words…as well as hear his ballads alone and with his partner….by clicking the audio bar below.