Five Things You Didn't Know About Bluesfest's Fantastic Negrito

In the lead up to the Byron Bay Bluesfest we spoke to some of the 200 artists who will be performing over the five day festival, which kicks off on 24 Mar. We found out five fun and wacky things about Fantastic Negrito:

1. At age 25 he was signed to a million dollar label deal, but the album flopped and his career drifted.
2. A couple years later he was in a car accident, resulting in a three-week coma and limited movement in his right hand, which he now lovingly calls "the claw" (he still plays guitar and piano with the claw). 
3. After the accident he gave up music for several years and became a pot farmer.
4. No longer pursuing commercial validation, he returned to music a few years ago, inspired by the birth of his son. 
5. Last year, at age 47, he went from busking on the streets of Oakland to winning the NPR Tiny Desk contest and having the #1 blues single and album on iTunes.