Greater Athens August 2022 | Page 9

they hear him play a certain tune and come thank him for it , although he ’ s not sure what song they are referring to .
Cannon recently reminded ATXFM Director DJ Warren that “ you have to be flexible and adaptable at the market , because you can never predict what ’ s going to happen ” and this is seen in a few of the many stories he has to tell .
The Sideman has had his fair share of four-legged visitors come by his guitar case and amplifiers and he even had one dog leave a little something extra for him and the owner just kept on walking .
At an airport pop-up market , The Sideman was caught up in a musical moment and all of a sudden two vendors scurried inside his tent and began to hold the poles with all their might . Apparently he had been oblivious to the fact that an airplane was about to take off and the blast from the engine rev was about to launch his tent into the air .
During one of the first times he played the ATXFM , his trusty metal folding chair that he had used for about seven years , collapsed on one side and sent him and his guitar tumbling to the ground . In true musician form , as The Sideman went down , he held the guitar up with the other hand to ensure it wouldn ’ t get damaged . He and his guitar came out okay after being assisted by some vendors , but the chair was retired after that day .
The relationship that Cannon has with many of the vendors is fantastic and many of them have encouraged and supported him since day one back on May 18 , 2019 when he first played at the ATXFM . He has played at other markets and other venues , but he says that there is “ something special in Athens .”
Many of the vendors love the music Cannon provides and Christy Turner of TnT Ranch will frequently request to hear him play Eric Clapton ’ s “ Tears in Heaven .”
He likes joking with Turner and asking her to guess the names of some of the songs he plays knowing she is too young to have heard most of them .
Another vendor , Laurie Hannan of Happy Cattle Beef , can often be seen dancing behind her table to the music as do quite a few of the vendors . Cannon likes to shop at the market , usually going home with a Melton Farms watermelon , and he even wrote a parody of Jimi Hendrix ’ s “ Foxy Lady ” for Mad Fox Metals and a song about Cindy Oliver ’ s R / C Flower Farm .
Little kids and even some grown ups too can be seen dancing and twirling in front of The Sideman ’ s tent . Sometimes he ’ ll get hugs from some of the younger children .
“ It ’ s nice to be appreciated , and I really do feel appreciated ,” he says .
Cannon , who moved to Athens in 2019 from the
Greater Athens Magazine | August 2022 | 7