Salvatore Geloso, a finalist for Rolling Stone’s “Street to Stage” competition, shrugged when some of the magazine’s cameramen asked for information. The word that best describes his encounter is probably unsuspecting.

After all, this is a guy who loves to serenade people in the street for the hell of it (and a little tip money). He makes his living in the street. All it takes to set up his office is his green-satin-lined guitar case, a yellow bucket, his 1983 Regal archtop guitar and a myriad of other instruments. To go to work, Sal doesn’t even have to wear a shirt, instead donning a black embroidered vest. Cameramen and corporate competitions just don’t jive with his nature.

“It was right around Jazz Fest. They had a camera and a boom mic,” recalls Geloso of being spotted by the competition’s producers. He was playing on Royal Street, stationed at his usual spot near the Rouses at St. Peter Street. He usually sets up there early, rolling out the guitar case and lining up CDs and patches for sale. “They were filming different artists in eight different cities and picking one person from each to play at South by Southwest. They asked if it was okay to film. I said, ‘Sure.’ I didn’t think they were even gonna call me back but they did…I was definitely surprised. I felt like they should have picked a brass band or someone more worthy of representing New Orleans, although I’m very humbled and grateful for the opportunity.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF7M2OjZ7tA[/youtube]

If you haven’t seen Geloso play live, this clip (shot in Brooklyn’s Bedford Avenue subway station) should explain why he was chosen.

Geloso’s soulful voice, story-telling, and lively instrumentation draw people to him. With his talent, he could just strum his 1938 Regal archtop guitar and let his voice roll down the sidewalk and make a few tips. But that’s not what busking is about.

“A big part of being a street performer is engaging and bringing people to you,” says Geloso. “People can be very distant, going about their lives, and you have to lighten the mood and be approachable. You can be talented, you can be a virtuoso, you can have a doctorate, but if you’re not interesting, no one will stop.”

The Street to Stage Competition has been wonderful for meeting other street performers, Geloso says, but the “large entities” stepping in to control his performance make him uncomfortable. “It’s a little soul-crushing at times. They want to film me speaking with an enormous Rolling Stone logo behind my back, yet one of the reasons I am a street performer is because I like being in control.”

Geloso prefers performing outdoors to indoors. While he only plays outside in New Orleans, he’ll occasionally do indoor gigs in New York. He makes better money outside, controlling every aspect of his performance from his album artwork to his song choices.

Since Geloso’s favorite city to play in is New Orleans, he’s been very disappointed with the recent noise ordinances and crackdowns on street musicians.

“It’s very disappointing. The rare and special thing about New Orleans has been the community around outdoor music—second lines, street performers, and parades. We enjoy each other and enjoy music. It crushes [outdoor music] on Frenchmen Street. It’s a shame.

“I’d like to talk to the other musicians and take a stand,” the soft-spoken Geloso continues. He describes visiting other cities with strict ordinances, and laments the cutthroat nature that such ordinances create. By limiting space where music can be played, performers are forced to vie for territory. Geloso has personally slept overnight on a sidewalk in order to secure his spot. He emphasizes the importance of cultural exchange with fellow street performers, as well as being respectful of the street performers around him.

Despite the Rolling Stone competition and the ordinances, Geloso’s heart is still in street performing.

“I want to keep doing it the way I’ve been doing it, still putting myself out there,” he says.

You can vote for Sal Geloso to win the Rolling Stone Street to Stage competition at rollingstone.com/sprintstreet/artists/salvatore-geloso. The winner will play the Rolling Stone Rock Room at the 2012 South by Southwest music festival. Voting ends Tuesday, September 20.