RALEIGH — Over the roar of roller coasters and hawkers calling “turkey leg, turkey leg,” Washboard Willy’s musical wagon announced his arrival at the North Carolina State Fair.

Friday’s first-day crowds parted to let Willy pass with his wife, Wishboard Wanda.

“Good morning, America, how are you?” Willy sang, his thimble-covered fingers tapping a beat on his breastplate of make-do instruments.

Wanda clapped and walked alongside “Rocko,” the old-fashioned wagon that held their new-fangled sound system. As a short conga-line formed in their wake, the couple roved the fairgrounds, looking for an impromptu stage amid the fair’s amusement rides and food vendors.

Willy and Wanda — whose real names are Larry and Donnis Hiskett — are a traveling act from Colorado. They will perform daily at the State Fair until its conclusion.

“We are the Pied Piper of rhythm for children of all ages,” Willy said.

Everywhere they go, music follows. And everywhere they pass out their loaner instruments, children — and even some adults — become street musicians.

“Only two things money can’t buy. True love and home-grown tomatoes,” Willy sang as a small crowd formed around him. He rubbed the washboard attached to his belly and dinged the office bell resting on his shoulder.

Wanda grabbed two wooden boxes full of maracas and tambourines and set them in reach of Nate Bolon and Ian Hopkins, fourth-grade friends who came to the fair on a field trip.

“Pick one up and shake it,” Wanda encouraged the kids, before passing a smaller maraca to a little boy in his father’s arms.

Nate and Ian got into it — Nate held a yellow maraca in each hand and shook his whole body. Ian kept Washboard Willy’s beat by pushing a foot pedal-operated tambourine.

“He has a lot more instruments than a washboard,” 5-year-old Anna Zolotor said, when her mother asked what she liked about Washboard Willy.

His washboard breastplate is covered with 16 sound-makers, including cymbals, wood blocks, cow bells, a taxi horn, a siren whistle and duck call.

Anna played tambourine, while Wanda and Willy sang about a Chattanooga shoeshine boy.

But the spirited music had tough competition.  When asked her favorite thing at the fair, Anna sang out, "Corn!"

Other attractions at the fair include amusement rides, concerts, livestock competitions and a whole lot of fried foods.