'Carolina When I Die' celebrated as official SC state song
'Carolina When I Die' celebrated as official SC state song
Taniqua Pennix, Greenville NewsFri, October 2, 2026 at 9:07 AM UTC
0
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster recently joined musicians Patrick Davis, Darius Rucker and Edwin McCain to recognize "Carolina When I Die" as the state's official song.
McMaster posted a picture on social media on Wednesday, Sept. 30, with the artists, saying, " 'Carolina When I Die' has earned its place among the songs that tell the story of our state. It was an honor to host Patrick Davis, Darius Rucker, and Edwin McCain as we celebrated its designation as an official South Carolina state song," he said.
The song, written by Davis and recorded with fellow South Carolina artists Rucker and McCain, joins "Carolina," adopted in 1911, and "South Carolina on My Mind," designated in 1984, as official state songs.
A state song nearly hit a roadblock
The legislation's path to approval was not entirely smooth.
In March, lawmakers raised concerns about alcohol in the original version of the lyrics. “I have drank with kings and queens and señoritas of the night,” is one of the lyrics.
Davis, the state's poet laureate, later agreed to revise the lyrics, allowing the proposal to continue moving through the legislative process. The General Assembly ultimately approved the measure, and McMaster signed it into law on May 18.
Patrick Davis: 'A complete surprise'
In a May 21 Instagram post, Davis said he never expected the song to even be considered. "I am both humbled and honored that 'Carolina When I Die' has been named an official South Carolina State Song," he said.
To address lawmakers' concerns, Davis changed the lyrics and released the "Official State Song Version."
"It's essentially the same as the original, just with a couple of very small lyric changes in the first verse to make sure SC kids from 5 to 95 can all feel good about learning and singing every word," Davis wrote.
Advertisement
A collaboration among South Carolina musicians
Davis also used the announcement to thank the people who helped bring the song to life, including co-writers Levi Lowrey, Wyatt Durrette and Kevin McDonald.
He then praised Rucker and McCain for helping elevate the song and broaden its reach across the state. "My hope in having Darius sing a verse, and Edwin add those incredible harmonies, was not just to make the track sound better, but to help this song reach even more folks in our beloved South Carolina," Davis wrote.
The songwriter thanked state lawmakers, including Sen. Jeffrey Graham and Rep. Cody T. Mitchell, as well as McMaster, for supporting the effort to designate the song as an official symbol of South Carolina.
Songwriter hopes song will resonate
Although "Carolina When I Die" is South Carolina's third official state song, Davis says he hopes his song will continue resonating with future generations.
"And those two songs are great and all," he wrote, "but if I'm being honest, I sure do hope 'Carolina When I Die' is the one we South Carolinians sing for the rest of my days, your days, and hopefully long after we're all gone."
McMaster praised the song for celebrating the Palmetto State's identity, culture and deep sense of home.
Reporter Baker Maultsby contributed to this article.
Food, Dining and Entertainment Reporter Taniqua Pennix can be reached at TPennix@USATodayCo.com
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: 'Carolina When I Die' celebrated as official SC state song
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
