Edwin McCain on life, music and Birchmere

Best known for his tear-jerking rock ballads, like "I'll Be," the soulful hometown American sound of Edwin McCain came partially from exposure to Motown and punk rock during his youth. In an interview with The Eagle, McCain shared his thoughts about the Birchmere Music Hall, where he will be performing this weekend promoting his most recent album, "The Austin Sessions." The Eagle: How did you happen to pick up a Dianne Warren song ("I Could Not Ask for More")? Edwin McCain: I was hired to sing that for the "Message in a Bottle" soundtrack. The tempo of the song was actually half of what it is now. At first, I wasn't into it. Now it's a popular wedding song; every night on tour people tell me that it was their wedding song. Eagle: I get the idea that your sounds come from a combination of rock and folk. Is this correct? And what music and musicians inspired you to come together and form your interesting sound with your band in 1993? McCain: Actually, my music is a mix of rock, folk and R&B. I grew up on a lot of Motown, Earth, Wind & Fire, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, as well as a lot of punk music, like Bob Mould, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag and The Clash. I should also mention that David Wilcox is an unbelievable lyricist; he tackles complex themes in three minutes. Eagle: "I'll Be" and "I Could Not Ask for More" were two of the most emotional rock ballads written in the late-1990s. Why do you think they have so much appeal? McCain: If I knew, I'd be president of a record label. It's hard to say what parts of music move people and why. Music for me needs to be honest and emotional. Eagle: So Edwin, what was "I'll Be" about? McCain: It's a prayer about life. But it's also somewhat autobiographical, in a few ways about a former girlfriend who told me that she would always be a fan of mine. Eagle: Speaking of fans, now I'm not sure if you are a fan or if you hate the show, but how do you feel about "I'll Be" being one of the most auditioned songs at the "American Idol" auditions, and why do you think this was the case? McCain: I think the song touched a lot of people. The type of people who aspire to be musicians gravitate to that song. The producers asked me if I wanted to come laugh at the show and I thought it would be a fun opportunity. It actually proved to boost ticket sales during my tour at the time. Eagle: How and where are you able to write songs and where do these ideas come from? McCain: A lot of them are born from anger and frustration. It's about being open to ideas. You have to be open enough to receive the idea from outer space or wherever else it could come from. Eagle: Much of your musical focus is on songwriting. Did you learn to sing or play guitar first, and which is more important to you during the songwriting process? McCain: I learned to sing first, as a little kid in the church choir. I enjoy both, though. Guitar is more important at the beginning, but melody is very important to a song as well. Eagle: What might surprise fans about your most recent recording, "The Austin Sessions," when you perform at the Birchmere next week? McCain: We did [the album] really fast, in about 23 days. It's an all-acoustic record, which my fans have requested for a while. But I don't like to call them my fans, but my 'friends.' This is a thank you to them. I love the Birchmere; it's what music is supposed to be. Eagle: What was your favorite cover to record and play live from this new album? McCain: "No Choice" by Buddy Marlot. He's a great songwriter and the song really describes what we're up to as musicians. During one show, I did a Shawn Mullins cover of "Rockabye" when a girl in the front row obviously bought a ticket to the wrong concert. Edwin McCain will appear Sunday, Nov. 23 at the Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, Va. For more information visit www.birchmere.com or www.edwin.com.