Behind The Lens: Patrick Davis Writes "Carolina When I Die" Into South Carolina History
Sometimes writing about home creates something that eventually becomes part of it. For Patrick Davis, Carolina When I Die began as a reflection on the South Carolina roots that continued following him through countless miles away from them. Now the song featuring fellow South Carolina artists Darius Rucker and Edwin McCain has officially become part of the state's history, with "Carolina When I Die" designated as an official state song of South Carolina.
From Camden To A State Song
Raised through much of his adolescence in Camden, Davis grew up surrounded by music. His father was a working musician who introduced him to artists ranging from The Beatles to Van Morrison, with a young Davis occasionally climbing onstage during his father's performances.
Those experiences eventually grew into a songwriting career that has placed Davis' work with artists including Guy Clark, Jimmy Buffett, and Darius Rucker. His most recent album, "Carolina When I Die," brought that journey back toward where it began, with its title track looking at the miles traveled since his childhood while celebrating the place that helped shape him.
With the song now carrying an official designation in his home state, Davis sees the recognition as something capable of extending beyond his own lifetime. Reflecting on what it means to have his songwriting become part of South Carolina's story, he shared:
I am both humbled and honored that ‘Carolina When I Die’ has been named an official South Carolina State Song. Like most songwriters, I’ve always hoped that something I wrote might have the chance to live on long after I’m gone… and I’m grateful this song now gets to be a small part of South Carolina’s story for as long as South Carolinians keep singing along.
For a songwriter, that's a different kind of longevity. Records document where an artist was at a particular moment, but a state song has the potential to become attached to the identity and memories of people who may encounter it generations later.
A Song Becomes Part Of Home
South Carolina lawmakers approved legislation establishing "Carolina When I Die" as an official state song earlier this year, with the measure becoming law in May. A September 29 ceremonial signing with Governor Henry McMaster provided another opportunity to recognize Davis and the South Carolina talent behind the recording.
The recognition adds another chapter to a career Davis has continually built around songwriting and Southern storytelling. Beyond his own recordings, he curates Songwriters in Paradise and hosts the PBS/APT series Southern Songwriters with Patrick Davis, creating additional spaces for the craft that originally carried him beyond Camden.
There is something full-circle about a songwriter leaving home, building a career telling stories, and eventually writing one that becomes woven into the place where his own story began. "Carolina When I Die" may look back at the distance Davis has traveled, but its newest chapter ensures that a piece of the song will always remain exactly where it started. In South Carolina, Patrick Davis didn't just write about home. He wrote himself back into it. Follow Patrick Davis on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK.
Comments