12-year-old plays Local Hero outside St James' Park -…

12-year-old plays Local Hero outside St James' Park - and gives away half of his busking money

A 12-year-old boy entertained Newcastle United fans by playing Local Hero on his guitar outside St James' Park - before giving away half his busking money.

Joe Bartley, from Denton Burn, Newcastle, taught himself how to play the instrument during the coronavirus lockdown by watching YouTube videos. He learned how to play Mark Knopfler's much-loved tune as well as hits by Sam Fender, Oasis and ACDC.

When he returned to school, the youngster began having half hour guitar lesson each week and is now a grade seven. He used some of his birthday money to purchase a new amp and asked his parents if he could start busking in Newcastle city centre.

On Saturday afternoon, his family accompanied him as he performed outside St James' Park for the very first time. Joe played for 45 minutes on his Gibson guitar ahead of Newcastle's opening Premier League match against Nottingham Forest.

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Joe Bartley pictured with his dad Ray (Newcastle Chronicle)

When he finished, he donated all of the coins which he had been given to the Newcastle West End Foodbank. Joe, who is a season ticket holder with his dad Ray 53, said: "It was really good.

"When I started playing songs like Local Hero quite a few people standing watching and videoing me. Local Hero is one of my favourite songs.

"During most home games we give the food bank some money anyway and I thought why not. We just tipped the coins into their basket, it was about £60 to £70."

Tanya and Joe outside St James' Park (Chonicle Live)

Joe's mam Tanya, who works as a senior analyst at a local pharmaceutical supplier, was at the stadium with her son on Saturday. The 41-year-old said: "I'm really proud of him, it must take a lot of confidence to go and sit there.

"Yesterday we went to St James' Park for 45 minutes because it was a match day and he's never done a match before. Every fifth song he played was Local Hero. Then he donated half of his busking money to the Newcastle Foodbank.

"They always donate to the Foodbank and I think that's why Joe did what he did yesterday. I think the Foodbank were quite overwhelmed. A lot of them came over to thank him and they said 'That's dead generous of him'. They were just dead grateful.

"We'll definitely be doing it outside St James' Park again, he loved it."

Joe entertained the crowds with Local Hero (Chonicle Live)

Sam Fender fan Joe started teaching himself the guitar two years ago and now has two electric guitars, an acoustic guitar, a base guitar and a ukulele. Over the last five months, Joe has been busking on Northumberland Street, near the Theatre Royal on Grey Street and at the Quayside Market, with the support of his family.

Tanya said Joe has also been invited to an open mic night at the Box Social Tap Room in Newburn a couple of times. She said: "We're always with him when he is playing.

"The best thing is when people hear him and they walk past and then they look at the age of him and they're like 'wow look at the age of him'. He does Sam Fender, ACDC, Pink Floyd. I think people are quite shocked at the range of music he can play.

"We get a lot of people asking how long he's been playing and it's nice. He likes to go down just past the Theatre Royal and he often gets a lot of drunk women asking for songs and dancing. He always gets a great reception."

Joe, who has two older brothers Morgan, 19, and Ayden, 18, added: "I really like Sam Fender, he's my biggest inspiration.

"I have been to see Sam Fender in concert and I'd like to be like him, I'd like to be up on stage. On Saturday, I played his songs Spit Of You and Seventeen Going Under. I just learned them myself from YouTube."

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