"You've gotta come see this awesome couple because they can sing like crazy," said Victoria E. Durant, Carthage.

That couple is Gregg M. and D. Michele Barfield, better known as Buffalo and Bumadean Barfield, and they are the stars of Buffalo Barfield & Unherd of Entertainment.

Mr. Barfield describes the act as a "variety, music and comedy show." The music is a combination of country, bluegrass, and rhythm and blues. He plays guitar, harmonica and mandolin and his wife sometimes plays the zydeco rubboard, which is like a stainless-steel washboard.

Backup tracks play in the background but are often pre-recordings the two have done with friends from home. The comedy aspect is more slapstick and down-home humor than stand-up.

Mrs. Durant, along with her husband, Harry W., took in the show during the early afternoon Thursday despite the hot sun beating down on them.

"I'm surprised they're not famous yet," she said.

The Durants took advantage of the free admission for senior citizens and youths and brought their 10 grandsons to the fair. The two said they loved the show last year so they came back again and brought another couple with them.

Evelyn J. and Haulice F. Sanders, also of Carthage, enjoyed the show for the first time.

"They're as good as any of them on the radio," said Mr. Sanders.

Mr. and Mrs. Sanders said they enjoyed the show because it is the type of music they listen to regularly.

"The truth is we like it up here because the people enjoy the music," said Mr. Barfield. "They really want to hear it; they really appreciate it."

The Barfields have been coming to the Jefferson County Fair for approximately five years, but have been in the business for about 15.

"We've made a lot of friends up here," Mr. Barfield said. "They come every year."

Thomas S. Bullard, Watertown, is one of those people. He said he has gone every year the Barfields have been here. By Thursday afternoon, he already had seen the show three times and planned to go again on Saturday.

"I like their style of music — good, old-fashioned hillbilly music," he said. "That Southern accent makes a lot of difference in their music."

Mr. and Mrs. Barfield live in Pendleton, S.C., near Greenville, and have thick Southern accents. They spend the summer months traveling on the East Coast performing at fairs and festivals.

"This is just one of the places we've always come and had good local support," Mr. Barfield said.

The couple has three 30-minute performances daily. Today the shows will be at 2:30, 4:30 and 8:45 p.m. There also will be shows at 4:30, 7 and 8:45 p.m. Saturday and 1, 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Today is Idol at the Fair Day and is a pay-one-price day with unlimited rides beginning at noon for $18.99, or $17.99 with a coupon that can be printed from the fair Web site.

Also today will be the preliminary rounds of the amateur talent contest, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for ages 5 through 12 and at 2:30 p.m. for ages 13 and older.

Other events include the ice cream eating contest at 1 p.m., New York State Zoo at Thompson Park animal display from 2 to 4 p.m. and performing arts show at 3 p.m. The fair's first Idol Contest will be at 7 p.m. at the grandstand.