David & Roselyn are “street singers” who can still be found occasionally plying their trade on select corners in New Orleans’ French Quarter – but these are no ordinary street musicians. David Leonard and Roselyn Lionhart met as members of the Air Force Band, have raised a family, and supported themselves for more than 40 years as traveling folk musicians.

The duo has been featured in both Charles Kuralt’s America (G.P. Putnam & Sons, 1995) and the Smithsonian Institutions’ River of Song, a four-part documentary tracing diverse musical styles the length of the Mississippi River.

Both are extremely accomplished musicians. David provides rhythm guitar and gruff, baritone vocals, while Roselyn fills in with mandolin and a vocal style reminiscent of the old-time blues “belters.” To this fundamental sound, they add David’s wailing harmonica and occasional trumpet solos, Roselyn’s love of the percussive African thumb piano, and back-up singing whenever possible.

On Gumbo Ya-Ya, the duo offers finely crafted folk renditions of favorite songs appropriate for kids as well as the kid in every adult, including “Froggy Went A-Courtin’,” “She’ll Be Comin’ Around the Mountain,” and “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” along with much loved, all-purpose tunes like “He’s Got the Whole World (in His Hands),” “This Land is Your Land,” and “(What a) Wonderful World.”

Also included are light-hearted versions of Fats Domino’s “Hey, Josephine” and the blues favorite “Wang Dang Doodle.”

No matter what they play, David & Roselyn mix a fun-loving, high-spirited attitude with solid folk musicianship, assuring a good time will be had by audiences everywhere.