SENECA, S.C. — The crowd sits expectantly, listening to Ralph Stanley sing a song from “O Brother Where Art Thou.” More than 400 toe-tappin’, hand-clappin’ people have packed into the gym, including many who are standing. Although Ralph and his band are capitvating, the star of tonight’s show is John Edwards.

He will soon walk into to the community center here, the final stop on a two-day tour of “rural” South Carolina. The “Back Home, Back Roads Barnstorm” includes stops in Bennettsville, Lancaster, Gaffney, Spartanburg, Laurens, Greenwood, Anderson and here, Seneca.

The flurry of excitement swells as Stanley picks up the beat. He has warmed up the crowd for Edwards. Now all we have to do is wait …