Before Arrernte musician Scott Rathman Junior signed up to the Tamworth Country Music Festival busking competition, he was ready to quit music for good.

Little did he know his decision to enter would win him bronze out of 400 busking applicants.

His journey to Tamworth was an uphill one as once he applied, Rathman had to find the funds to get there.

"I didn't really know what was involved when I was accepted," Rathman said.

"That was really cool, but then there was an issue of actually getting there.

"So dad actually suggested doing a GoFundMe and we put up the GoFundMe and people started donating, and probably a week before we hit the halfway mark which was just about what we needed to get there and back."

Once he got to Tamworth Country Music Festival, Rathman was tasked with busking. Despite the competition aspect, Rathman said he just was happy to be busking there.

He busked at the music festival for over a week where secret judges in the crowd picked out the best of the best.

Rathman said he sang continuously for over seven days to the point he contracted tonsillitis.

"Every few metres is another busker, literally five metres apart maximum, and we're all pretty much battling it out.

"Some people were trying to be louder than others and the sound gets quite muffled a lot of the time.

"To even get top ten it's just crazy because a lot of the time you really can't even hear artists."

After a week of busking, Rathman received a call letting him know he made it into the top ten.

"I'll be totally honest I thought I had no chance, so I was just happy to be there and busking honestly," he said.

"Never expected anything like that, even the festival people were saying that I was incredibly popular.

"Then we hit the main stage and play, I played a few original songs and they called my name out for third place."

Despite nearly deciding to say farewell to music, winning third at the Tamworth Country Music Festival busking competition has renewed Rathman's love for music and pushed him to continue to pursue it.

Rathman will be opening Gawler Fringe Festival and plans to put on a free show to thank those who helped get him to Tamworth.

"We're doing a thank you show because I wouldn't have got there if it wasn't for the people on my page and the people who donated to the GoFundMe," he said.

"So we're doing a thank you show at North Haven Surf Lifesaving Club on February 26 and it's going to be free."

As part of coming third, Rathman won his own show at Tamworth Country Music Festival next year.

He'll be next playing at Gawler Fringe Festival on February 17.