ON THE STREETS OF OLYMPIA >>>

Whether it's Kai, the hatchet-wielding hitchhiker, or Billy, the homeless man who returned a valuable diamond ring, many folks on the street possess a certain charm that attracts people.

In honor of our annual Music Issue this Thursday, I loaded my pockets with coins and searched the streets of Olympia for musical entertainment. I passed an older woman strumming her guitar, I passed a man playing good rhythm on the congas, but it was Aaron Gates who finally caught my eye. His dirty blonde hair, slow smile and heartfelt music made him stand apart.

The 27-year-old from South Dakota and his dog, Bandito, post up on Fourth Avenue on a regular basis, turning out song after song, from covers to originals.

He tells me he likes to play Bill Withers and Otis Redding on a busy weekend night and that when he plays, "people generally go home happier."

Gates believes his music helps adjust the vibe to mellow on an otherwise potential-for-violence kind of night.

"When there's music - it disappears," he says.

Gates says a non-rainy Thursday evening can bring him around $20, and weekend nights can bring much more.

"I'm just trying to get by," he says.

Below is Gates performing his original song, "Free to My Soul."