Edwin McCain – biography

Blending equal parts folk, soul and rock, platinum-selling singer/songwriter Edwin McCain has signed with Vanguard Records and will release a new studio album next spring. Currently in the new OMG Studios, which he co-owns, in his hometown of Greenville, South Carolina, McCain is working with producer Noel Golden (Messenger, Scream and Whisper) and band members Craig Shields (keys, sax); Larry Chaney (lead guitar); Pete Riley (guitar, vocals); Dave Harrison (drums); and Lee Hendricks (bass).

Since his 1993 debut, McCain has garnered the attention of millions with the top 10 smash “I’ll Be,” and the Diane Warren-penned top 40 hit “I Could Not Ask For More,” and as a tireless troubadour whose rapturous live performances regularly sell-out. In May 2005, McCain performed “I’ll Be” on The Dr. Phil Show, which was voted the “Best Wedding Song” by over one million viewers.

The seeds for McCain’s blend of southern soul and acoustic storytelling were planted in Greenville, South Carolina, where he was born and raised, and still resides. In 1993, he formed the Edwin McCain Band and released Solitude. A quartet of albums on Lava/Atlantic Records followed, starting with Honor Among Thieves (1995), the breakthrough album Misguided Roses (1997), which featured “I’ll Be,” and Messenger (1999), which included “I Could Not Ask for More,” also featured in the film Message in a Bottle, that drove Messenger to RIAA Gold Certification. In 2001, Edwin’s last recording for Lava/Atlantic, Far From Over, was released. In 2003, McCain teamed with ATC Records to release Austin Sessions, and in the summer of 2004, DRT Entertainment released Scream and Whisper.

Founded in 1950 by Maynard and Seymour Solomon, Vanguard Records became one of the world’s most prestigious folk and blues labels of the ’60s, releasing records by such legendary artists as Doc Watson, Joan Baez, The Weavers, Buddy Guy, and Mississippi John Hurt. Purchased by Welk Music Group in 1986, Vanguard continues today to pursue its vision of releasing classic recordings of the past while also signing an eclectic and impressive array of distinctive singer/songwriters. Its current artist roster includes Deana Carter, Hootie & the Blowfish, Blues Traveler, Mindy Smith, Garrison Starr, Carbon Leaf, Patty Larkin, Victor Wooten, BeauSoleil, Ian Tyson, Peter Case, among others.