Busk Break: Michael Stutesman plays “Waltz of the Wooden Horses”

Accordion-player Michael Stutesman may hail from Morganton, but he’s a regular visitor to Asheville. Unlike many of our local buskers, Stutesman isn’t looking for tips, performing without so much as an open case or upturned hat, insisting he’s only playing outdoors because he loves doing it. Here, he performs a traditional tune known by many names, including “Waltz of the Wooden Horses,” on his Hohner Erica.

Busk Break: Mary Sparks

Mary Sparks may not have a name for this new work, but she’s adamant that it was inspired by the creative atmosphere of Asheville. She should know. The hammered dulcimer player relocated here a few years ago, in large part because of the active local busking community. Here she is performing outside of Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe earlier this week.

Busk Break: Isaac Alexander Johnson and Jim Barton perform “The Highway Song”

There was something approaching a reunion of the gone-but-not-forgotten 90’s epoch Asheville band The Spoonbenders on the streets of downtown over the weekend, as Isaac Alexander Johnson and Jim Barton busked in front of the BB&T Building. Although significant cajoling couldn’t convince them to perform one of their older tunes, Barton (on acoustic bass guitar) joined in on an unrehearsed version of Johnson’s tune “The Highway Song.” Let’s have a listen.

Busk Break: Taylor Martin and Lyndsay Pruitt perform “Devil’s in the Barroom”

Every so often, a downtown busking group really sink their teeth into what they’re playing and give a truly memorable performance. And that’s exactly what happened here, when Asheville-based singer/songwriter Taylor Martin and fiddle-player Lyndsay Pruitt performed Martin’s original tune “Devil’s in the Barroom” on Pack Square on Friday evening.

Busk Break: The Leather Britches perform “Make Me a Pallet on the Floor”

Listening to how neatly the members of The Leather Britches fit together as performers, you’d be hard-pressed to guess that the group had only been playing together under that name for the better part of an afternoon. Composed of four friends who came to Asheville for the Swannanoa Gathering, the group is: Nick DiSebastian (guitar) and Charles Muench (bass) — both of the band River Wheel — Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (fiddle) and Jen Starsinic (fiddle). Here, the quartet perform the cross-genre standard “Make Me a Pallet on the Floor.”

Busk Break: Obie Quiet, Ignorant and Captain Ahab cover “Warrior Man”

While Billy Joe Shaver has been influencing outlaw country music for nearly four decades, many younger listeners became introduced to his music when his tune “Warrior Man” was used as the theme to the Adult Swim cartoon Squidbillies. How influential was that theme song? Just ask buskers Obie Quiet, Ignorant and Captain Ahab, who performed their cover of the tune near Pritchard Park earlier this week. If you like what you hear, be forewarned that the trio lack any kind of Web presence, so your best bet to hear them live is to wander aimlessly on the streets of Asheville. Just a word of warning, though: The song is just a touch not safe for work.