A mainstay of contemporary American roots music

Patrick Davis has spent two decades leaving his mark onstage, on record, and in the writing room. He’s a critically-acclaimed solo artist. A road warrior. Founder of music festivals like Songwriters in Paradise. Most importantly, Davis has established himself as a prolific songwriter, penning tunes not only for his own albums, but also for icons like Guy Clark and Jimmy Buffett. With Carolina When I Die, he reintroduces himself as a Southern storyteller and classic craftsman. It’s a modern-day album steeped in the timeless sounds of his influences: the smooth soul of Ray Charles, the heartland folk-rock of Jackson Browne, the nuanced country of Lyle Lovett, and the big-band bombast of Joe Cocker & Mad Dogs & Englishmen. Tying those sounds together is a versatile musician who, having already established himself as a hit songwriter for others, is rededicating himself to his own records. Carolina When I Die may be the fifth full-length release of Davis’ catalog, but it marks a new beginning, too.