Edwin McCain will be coming to town! On May 19th the Edwin McCain trio will be performing at B.B. King Blues Club in New York City. We had the opportunity to speak with Edwin about his music, “Flipping Boats,” and his number one goal for the future!
There have been so many amazing moments from his music career, including playing a gig with Ray Charles. With so many great memories, it is hard to choose one favorite. He told us that there have been so many special moments for different reasons. “There were some gigs early in my career playing at a little place with a hundred people in it, when I got my first taste of that spiritual part of music that everybody talks about and it’s hard to put your finger on it to describe it. It is one of those things that become bigger than anybody. I can point to that moment, it was a place called The Klondike Café in Boone, North Carolina. I remember we had one of those moments where the music became bigger than the guys that were playing it. Once you get a taste of it, it is kind of impossible to escape it.”
When he first started out he had no idea how far it would take him. “It has been an unbelievable ride. It has gone to places I didn’t expect it to and it taught me a lot I wasn’t expecting to learn. This whole journey has been astonishing. ” Some of his favorite performing venue experiences have been Madison Square Garden and B.B. Kings Blues Club.
As a songwriter, he told us that some of his most inspirational songwriting moments have happened in New Orleans. The most inspirational person for songwriting would be Maia Sharp whom he writes with.
Edwin has had many successful songs including his song “I’ll Be” and his rendition of Dianne Warren’s “ I Could Not Ask For More.” These song have a special meaning for so many people and couples, as they are both very popular wedding songs. “It is always nice when people come up and say we got married with your song. For someone to use your music for that day, it’s pretty important and humbling.”
After he recorded “I Could Not Ask For More” for a soundtrack, the song took off. His music is on several soundtracks and if he had the chance to have his music on any television show, it would be “House of Cards”!
Aside from music, he also got to share his love of restoring with the show “Flipping Ships.” “I like whatever comes my way. I do old jeeps, trucks, motorcycles; I am not specific to boats. I like the process of learning about whatever it is we are working on, Doing research, understanding how to fix it, and sending it on its way for someone to enjoy. That is fun for me.” With so many restorations, we asked him if there has been anything he has restored that it has been hard to let go of.
He had a Porsche 928 that he auctioned off on ebay. With the money that he made off the auction, he gave it to The Meyer Center, which is a school for developmentally challenged children in Greenville, South Carolina. Even though he knew he would miss that car, it meant so much to him to be able to show his children how it important it was for him to give back to others. The Meyer Center is very close to his heart and he has a special goal. “I have a life goal. That is to raise enough money to endow the Meyer Center. That is my wish. I don’t wish things for me because I think I have been given ten times more than I deserve, so I feel like this part of my life where I am now is stewardship. ”
Get your tickets to see the Edwin McCain Trio when they come to town on May 19th!
I love Edwin and his big heart. He is one if the nicest and most talented musicians I have ever met.