FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Drink Small’s Final Public Performance to Launch Carolina Blues Preservation Society
CAYCE, S.C. — On Saturday, June 20, 2026, South Carolina blues fans will have the opportunity to witness a truly historic moment: what is expected to be the final public performance of legendary blues artist Drink Small, known throughout the South and beyond as “The Blues Doctor.”
The evening will also mark the public launch of the Carolina Blues Preservation Society, a new nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, documenting, and celebrating the rich blues heritage of South Carolina and the American South.
The event inaugurates the Society’s signature concert series, The Woodshed Sessions, and will take place at 7:00 p.m. at Carolina Arts Cafe + Studios, located at 2006 State Street in Cayce’s River Arts District.
For generations of musicians, “going to the woodshed” has meant stepping away from the spotlight to practice, listen, learn, and refine one’s craft. In blues culture, the woodshed is where traditions are passed from one generation to the next, where stories are shared, and where musicians discover their own voice. The Woodshed Sessions are designed to bring audiences into that experience.
Each evening unfolds in two acts.
Act I features an intimate conversation and audience Q&A with the featured artist, offering attendees a rare opportunity to hear firsthand stories about the music, the culture, and the experiences that shaped a lifetime in the blues.
Following an intermission featuring libations and heavy hors d’oeuvres, the stage is reset for Act II, a live concert performance.
For the inaugural session, audiences will hear from one of South Carolina’s most treasured cultural figures. Over a career spanning more than seven decades, Drink Small has carried the blues from church halls and juke joints to concert stages, schools, and festivals across the nation. At age 94, he remains one of the last living links to a remarkable chapter of American musical history.
Every Woodshed Session will be professionally video recorded and preserved in the archives of the Carolina Blues Preservation Society. These recordings will help ensure that the music, stories, and wisdom of influential artists remain accessible to future generations of musicians, scholars, educators, and music lovers.
That spirit of preservation is at the heart of the Society’s mission.
“In the blues, the woodshed is where you put in the work,” said Donald Caesar, Board President of the Carolina Blues Preservation Society and internationally renowned harmonica player and blues musician. “It’s where you listen, learn, and grow. The music you hear on stage is born in the woodshed. That’s what this series is all about—bringing people closer to the stories, the traditions, and the artists who keep this music alive.”
The Carolina Blues Preservation Society was founded on the belief that the blues is more than a musical genre. It is a living cultural tradition that tells the story of communities, families, resilience, creativity, and place. Through performances, oral history projects, educational programming, archival preservation, and community partnerships, the Society seeks to honor that legacy while helping it continue to thrive.
Tickets for the June 20 event are $94 and include libations and heavy hors d’oeuvres. All proceeds benefit the Carolina Blues Preservation Society and support its preservation, education, and archival initiatives.
For those unable to attend in person, the event will be livestreamed on YouTube.
Event Information
The Woodshed Sessions Featuring Drink Small
Saturday, June 20, 2026
7:00 p.m.
Carolina Arts Cafe + Studios
2006 State Street
Cayce, South Carolina 29033
Tickets: $94
(Includes libations and heavy hors d’oeuvres)
All proceeds benefit the Carolina Blues Preservation Society.
For tickets and information:
www.carolinabluespreservationsociety.org
(803) 814-3290
Media Contact
Wynne Speaks Sisk
Chief Marketing Officer
Carolina Blues Preservation Society
wynne@carolinabluespreservationsociety.org
www.carolinabluespreservationsociety.org
For interviews, photographs, media credentials, or additional information, please contact Wynne Speaks Sisk.
Carolina Blues Preservation Society 