From Savannah Morning News. A parallel with "Songman."

"Popeye is polite, soft-spoken, humble. He doesn't pester people for money like some homeless people do. He isn't crazy, he doesen't steal...."
"Many nights you'll find Popeye sitting on the sidewalk on Bay Street near Whittaker playing his flute," ....
http://aspin.asu.edu/hpn/archives/Oct98/0027.html

And I remember posts in Mudcat about another street musician in Savannah, but I can't locate the thread(s).