Edwin McCain doesn’t mind if fans know him best as the guy who wrote and sang the hit song “I’ll Be.”
The 1998 ballad has been played or performed at weddings and proms across the country and around the world. It made a name for McCain, and today it still draws people to his shows.
“It’s a gift,” said McCain during a recent phone interview from his home in Greenville, S.C. “It’s just the greatest gift you can have.”
| Onstage |
| Edwin McCain with Owen Danoff |
| Where: State Theatre, 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church |
| When: 9 p.m. Saturday (7 p.m. doors) |
| Info: $26; 704-237-0300; thestatetheatre.com |
McCain performs Saturday at the State Theatre in Falls Church.
“It’s like an engraved invitation for people to come out,” McCain said. “The hardest thing in the world to do when we were coming up was to just get people in the door.”
While many know McCain for a single song, he’s had a lengthy career. Last August, he released his 10th album of original material, titled “Mercy Bound.”
McCain cringes when he revisits some of his earlier stuff.
“There’s a couple of demos floating around out there I hope nobody finds,” he joked. “It’s kind of funny to look back on those songs and check out the point of view of a 20-year-old and grimace.”
“Mercy Bound” highlights his songwriting relationship with musician Maia Sharp. She co-wrote many of the songs on “Mercy Bound” and produced the album.
“She’s such a force of nature and so good at everything she does,” McCain said of Sharp, adding that she’s taught him how to grow as a writer. “She’s not as recognized for it as I think she should be.”
McCain signed with Atlantic Records in the 1990s, and after fulfilling his contract, has released his last decade of work on smaller, indie labels.
“You really get to be yourself,” McCain said. “That doesn’t give you the access to top stardom. But for me, it’s perfect. We play these great little rooms, and we have nice audiences that come to hear a whole night’s worth of music as opposed to these huge places and everybody’s waiting to hear one song.”
But it’s that one song that has brought McCain so much success. He’s been touring a lot and recently performed in the Philippines for the first time.
“It was something personal to me,” McCain said of “I’ll Be.” “The world just took it, and it continues to do what it does. It’s incredible. It’s kind of giving credit to the lightning rod for the lightning. I was in the right place at the right time and good things happened, and we’ve been blessed to be able to ride it out.”
