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Legendary South Carolina musician Drink Small, who is no stranger to the Festival of Discovery, wrote "Living in the Barbeque World," and had it offered to Uptown Greenwood Development Corp., which puts on the annual celebration each July.
This year's Festival of Discovery and Blues Cruise in July 12-14 in Uptown Greenwood.
"Drink wrote it and put it out," said Gary Erwin, who is the artistic director for the Blues Cruise. "He put it out after the Festival of Discovery and it's just an obvious fit. He wasn't writing it for the Festival of Discovery. He was writing it for his passion for barbecue."
Erwin contacted Greenwood City Manager Charlie Barrineau about the song.
"I said, ''The Blues Doctor' actually came up with an anthem for barbecue,'" Erwin said.
Erwin asked Barrineau if he would like to hear it. Barrineau said yes.
"He went for it," Erwin said. "It's a beautiful soundtrack for the promotional piece we have. It's going to be on the website."
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Drink Small, "The Blues Doctor"
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"It couldn't be more fitting and apropos," Erwin added.
Barrineau said, "We could not have selected a more fitting soundtrack for the South Carolina Festival of Discovery than Drink's 'Living in a Barbeque World.' The song celebrates our love of Carolina barbecue and Blues music."
"Drink wrote a simple, catchy melody," Erwin said.
Small, a native of Bishopville, is 79 and has been a regular performer for the Greenwood Blues Cruise at various venues in Uptown Greenwood. Known as "The Blues Doctor," Small plays guitar and piano.
"It's very cool. The thing about Drink Small is he's almost 80 years old, but he's creating all the time. He doesn't stop. He keeps writing and observing the world," Erwin said. "With the wisdom of his age, he's finding the commonality and the simple truths that bring us all together, like barbecue."
Small is a recipient of the S.C. Folk Heritage Award and a member of the S.C. Hall of Fame. He has played Chicago Blues Festival, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, King Biscuit Blues Festival, Smithsonian-Folklife Festival, Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Lincoln Center, New York City's Central Park concert series and every major blues festival in the Southeast.
This is not the first song Small has penned about Southern food. He's written a song about a Midlands' barbecue purveyor and one about his girlfriend called "Fish Fryin' Momma."
"This is the one that has that anthemic quality to it," Erwin said of "Living in a Barbeque World."
Small has a nice hook to the barbecue song.
"I wrote a tune with a common denominator," Small said. "I chose something that would fit anybody."
"Everybody loves barbecue."
"The preacher tries to reach the heart, I try to reach the stomach," Small added. "You have to reach the belly. Everybody's got to eat. You've got to eat."
"It talks about universal truth and commonality," Erwin said. "That's were Drink is coming from as far as barbecue. Barbecue is a constant in his life. It's a constant in Southern culture. It's something you can count on. It never loses it's appeal."
"It's comfort food on one hand, but it's inspiration food on another," Erwin said.
Small said he wrote it to make people laugh.
"It's kind of series, too," Small said. "The thing about it is, it's universal. People all over the world love barbecue."
"Religious, non-religious, old, black, white, Hispanic. Everybody loves it," Small added, noting he doesn't consider the song a blues tune. "It talks about common folks....middle class....upper class...all class. You don't have to be a Christian to like it. You don't have to be a sinner to like it. It covers everything."
Small definitely loves barbecue.
"I've eaten barbecue so long, it's hard to give up," Small said.
Small performs 9-11 p.m. Friday, July 13 in the CenturyLink Main Tent.
Erwin said that time was selected for a reason.
"His time slot is strategically placed in the heart of he cook-off while the barbecue teams are spending the night cooking," said Erwin, who is also performing under his stage name, Shrimp City Slim.
CDs of the song will be on sale during the Festival. The CD features two versions of the song - the radio edit and the extended dance mix, according to Erwin.
For information on the 2012 South Carolina Festival of Discovery and the Greenwood Blues Cruise, visit the website at www.festivalofdiscovery.com or call (864) 942-8448.
For information on Small, visit www.reverbnation.com/drinksmal. Follow Small on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DrinkSmall or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DrinkSmall.