As anyone who has made themselves open to the free-flowing social scene of Asheville knows, it can be surprisingly easy to meet people of similar interests just by being open to chance encounters. And those meetings—even if fleeting—can create some very interesting (if perhaps short-lived) artistic collaborations. For instance, violinist Jeffrey Hershey and singer/songwriter Michael Jordan encountered each other outside of Mo Daddy’s one night last week, and the next day they were jamming in Pritchard Park. The tune is called “This Is What You Get.”

Not every downtown busker is seeking popularity and fame. Some just love performing, and aren’t particularly seeking to promote themselves. Take the Asheville-based blues busker known only as Ben. He wasn’t interested in giving out his last name, doesn’t have a website or social media page for his music, and insists that the only way to hear more of his playing is to randomly encounter him performing for kicks and tips on the street. In this clip, he’s covering the classic Jimmy Reed tune “High And Lonesome.”