Scotty McCreery has definitely secured his place in country music. The 30-year-old just celebrated his sixth chart-topping single with “Cab In A Solo,” the first single from his latest Rise and Fall, album, which debuted at No. 1 when it was released. The success, and fame that comes with it, is something that McCreery now appreciates, although it wasn’t as easy when he became a household name in 2011, after winning Season 10 of American Idol.
“After Idol, that was a little more celebrity. I don’t think of myself as a celebrity. I think of myself as a country music singer,” McCreery shared with Everything Nash and other outlets at a recent media event. “I’m very laid back — so laid back they say I’m horizontal. That’s the line. After Idol, it was a bit ridiculous, to be honest. I got a taste of not being able to walk through airports, They’d have to take me underneath with security, and paparazzi waiting. It was too much.”
Fortunately, the constant attention eventually died down, but his fans’ unwavering support of him has continued, with many continuing to support him and his music in the 13 years since.
“But now, for me, my fans have stuck by my side,” McCreery shares. “They’ve come to shows. They’re great. I just thank them for sticking with me. But I do sing my music, tour the country, and keep my head down too. I’m a family man. I’m all about my wife and kid, and Thursday, Friday, Saturday I hit the road.”
Courtesy of ABC
McCreery also lives in North Carolina, away from the constant spotlight that might be more prevalent in Nashville. But he still welcomes when fans approach him, now more than ever.
“It used to bother me when I was younger,” McCreery admits. “I was like, ‘Man, I’m trying to have a nice dinner here. But it’s like, if they’re getting the nerve to go up to you and say something, it means they really appreciate your music. It means something to them. A lot of times they’ll tell you stories, like ‘Five More Minutes’ helped me through this, or ‘We got married to ‘This Is It,” and it’s like, that’s just a little piece of my heart is now a part of their lives as well.”
McCreery’s current single, “Fall of Summer,” is inching close to the Top 40. Although he wrote all but one song on Rise and Fall, the North Carolina native reveals that “Fall of Summer” might be one of his favorites on the album.
“I’m so proud of the whole record, but this song kind of has that nostalgic feel to it. To me, I love that about music,” McCreery tells ABC Audio. “I love when a song can take you back to a memory, take you back to a place, and to me ‘Fall of Summer’ does that.”
The Grand Ole Opry member was recently awarded seven BMI Million-Air Awards, a rare accomplishment given to songwriters who have achieved more than one million broadcast performances. McCreery was awarded for “This Is It,” “In Between,” “See You Tonight,” “You Time,” “Five More Minutes” and the 2024 CMT Digital-First Performance award-winning song “It Matters To Her.”
McCreery joins Callista Clark on a new song, “Gettin’ Old,” out on August 9. Find all of McCreery’s music and upcoming shows at ScottyMcCreery.com.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Grand Ole Opry / Chris Hollo