James Davis is most often found performing on the corner of 9th and Main downtown, many times with his nephew. When I met with him, he spoke openly about the challenges that face street musicians in Cincinnati and around the country.
James also sells StreetVibes, a locally-produced newspaper that advocates for the homeless.
Bonita Price was a music major at The Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) and Central State University but took some time off to raise her family. She is now a practicing street musician to hone her voice and to provide income since she was laid off from the Jim Beam distillery when it closed its Cincinnati plant in 2011.
I caught up with Bonita at Cincinnati’s Findlay Market - Ohio's oldest continuously-operated public market.