On a congenial weekend evening on Main Street, musical notes seem as much a part of the June night air as the feel of humidity or the sweet scent of honeysuckle.
You can find Greenville street musicians on nearly every block between NOMA Square and Falls Park. Along with whatever equipment (batteries only) they can bring with them, they’ll have their official City of Greenville Street Performance Permit prominently displayed, usually next to a jar or an open instrument case containing (hopefully) some folded green bills.
The city loves its buskers—and for these five, the feeling is mutual.
The Starting Five of Greenville Street Musicians
Graydon Hammond, cello
Outside Mast General Store, 111 N. Main St.
Graydon Hammond concentrates on “popular songs that people know, some stuff that I can play on the cello that’ll be beautiful and legato [smooth, connected notes],” he says. “Some slower songs, and some classical stuff like the Bach cello suite—everyone knows that one.”
A 16-year-old Bob Jones University student, Hammond is raising funds for a summer mission trip. Relatively new to the downtown scene, he quickly learned the city regulations and some busker etiquette.
“They give you a map that has music notes on it where you’re allowed to play in downtown Greenville,” he says. “Typically, you try to limit it to an hour before you move to a different spot. And you try not to be within one block of another musician.”
Lewis Jackson, electric saxophone
Outside Nose Dive, 116 S. Main St.
Versatility in several genres—R&B, jazz, Latin, and reggae among them—keeps veteran musician and DJ Lewis Jackson busy with gigs all around the Upstate, playing solo as well as with party bands like The Enforcers and the Carolina Players. You’re as likely to hear a soulful classic like “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers or “My Girl” by The Temptations as you are a rendering of country artist Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey.”
Now in his 70s, Jackson has put in about four years playing on the street. He mostly lets his music speak for itself, but he does enjoy connecting with his audience. “You get to meet a lot of people,” he says. “It’s nice.”
Jeremy Saxe, alto saxophone
Falls Park, upper amphitheater, 601 S. Main St.
You’re not likely to hear Jeremy Saxe play outside on a chilly night. “You ever hear a band in the cold?” he asks. “It sounds terrible. The cold makes the metal contract. The pitch goes everywhere.”
The Spartanburg-based musician’s busking career started in 2017 after an altercation on the job. “I just walked out,” he says. “But to relieve that stress, I went outside and started playing for a couple of nights. I made more money than I did with my paycheck, and I just didn’t go back.”
Although standards like “Fly Me to the Moon” are in his repertoire, the self-described “poet/spiritual lyricist/saxophonist” doesn’t define himself by genres.
“What draws people in is the feeling of music,” he says. “You have to serve your passion. You have to exercise your artistry. So, in doing that, your crowd comes to you.”
Dwayne “D’Mac” McMillan, electric guitar and vocals
Outside City Hall, 206 S. Main St.
D’Mac’s face lights up when he sees someone grooving along. “Get it!” he’ll say. “Do that dance!” It’s all part of his expression of “peace, love, and soul.”
“That’s what I want to bring to the people here,” he says. “My music is more like a ministry, because I minister to people’s hearts and souls and their minds and their bodies. I play to the crowd, to the things that are happening.”
A former systems administrator and IT professional, D’Mac combines his laid-back, cheerful crowd engagement with a command of a wide range of genres.
“You’ve got to be a people person, and you’ve got to play what people want to hear,” he says. “I’m going to play some country, some blues, some soft rock, and melodies people recognize. You can’t come out here and just play whatever you want to hear. You could just stay at home and do that.”
Elijah Stone, acoustic guitar and vocals
ONE City Plaza, 1 N. Main St.
Elijah Stone wears his art on his sleeve—and his pants, and sometimes, his hoodie. Along with performing and releasing his own music, the indie singer-songwriter designs “wearable art” for his brand Where Is Up?
Stone, who has been singing “ever since I could talk,” started writing music at age 15. “I wanted to just do art because music always helped me feel less alone. That was the only thing that got me through anything. And so, if I could do that for other people, then that was my whole goal.”
He’s also continued his pursuits of acting, modeling, and social media since relocating to Greenville from Las Vegas about a year ago.
“It’s just good vibes downtown,” he says. “Compared to Vegas, where everyone’s so mean and aggressive, here everyone’s really loving and respectful.”
