MEET UPSTATE SC:

Edwin McCain, Musician

Edwin McCain has launched more marriages than many ministers. With wedding-day favorites such as “I’ll Be” and “I Could Not Ask for More,” McCain knows a thing or two about love. And although his legendary touring schedule often takes him away from family and friends, he loves heading back to his hometown of Greenville.

McCain's favorite local haunts include Pita House for Middle Eastern fare and Soby’s New South Cuisine downtown. You may also find him performing at The Peace Center, or spending time with his wife Christy and their three kids at Falls Park and the Greenville Zoo (located in Cleveland Park, a title of one of his songs).

McCain raves about Greenville's live music scene: "The Handlebar has been consistently bringing amazing music to Greenville for the last two decades. Smiley’s Acoustic Café is bringing in some really great talent as well. I’m also putting together an outdoor music series next to Saffron’s [Sidewalk Café]. It’s similar to what they do at Stubb’s in Austin.

And no matter where McCain's tour schedule takes him, you'll find him home in Greenville every September for Euphoria, the food, wine, and music event he co-founded with Greenville restauranteur Carl Sobocinski in 2006.

"It gives us a great chance to show off Greenville," McCain says. "I always invite people during Euphoria because I can show off the town. We have people flying in from all over the world now. It’s a lot of fun."

Originally published in Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine