Scotty McCreery:
The Cover Story
Scotty McCreery:
The Cover Story
Scotty McCreery – Photo Courtesy of Triple Tigers
Scotty McCreery – Photo Courtesy of Triple Tigers
Ready to feel old? It’s been 10 long years since Scotty McCreery won American Idol, breaking out as a baritone singing boy-next-door in 2011. To put it lightly, much has changed in that time, both musically and in the world at large. But even with his newfound “veteran” status, the hit maker is no worse for wear.
In fact, McCreery’s navigated a decade of ups and downs to come out stronger and more insightful than ever, currently riding the hottest hit streak of his whole career. And with his fifth album, Same Truck, he’s shifting into another gear.
“Honestly, this last chapter of my career, I’ve never had that before with the Number Ones at radio and the crowds we’re getting at our shows,” McCreery says, looking back on what now seems like a pivotal transition – one that made his new album possible. “To me it kind of feels like we’re just getting started, as opposed to ‘Hey, this is your 10th year doing this.’”
Chatting with Sounds Like Nashville ahead of the album’s release, it’s easy enough to see why McCreery would feel that way. Every official single released from his Gold certified 2018 album, Seasons Change, ended up on top of the charts, with “Five More Minutes,” “This Is It” and “In Between” all making the climb. Now he’s got another hit with the Top 10 and climbing “You Time,” and he’s finally back on the road, too, touring with Old Dominion. Things are indeed looking up for the star, but truth be told, his latest albums were both born from tough spots.
For Seasons Change, it was an unexpected departure from his first record label. And with Same Truck, it’s been a global pandemic which has redefined life in countless ways. But to his credit, McCreery has never backed down from a challenge
Feeling a spark of inspiration as COVID-19 swept everyday life aside, McCreery boldly scrapped the first version of what became Same Truck. He ended up co-writing all but two songs on the new version of the project, sounding more poised and purposeful than ever. And if Seasons Change was McCreery becoming a man, this one finds him gaining some much needed “perspective.”
Ready to feel old? It’s been 10 long years since Scotty McCreery won American Idol, breaking out as a baritone singing boy-next-door in 2011. To put it lightly, much has changed in that time, both musically and in the world at large. But even with his newfound “veteran” status, the hit maker is no worse for wear.
In fact, McCreery’s navigated a decade of ups and downs to come out stronger and more insightful than ever, currently riding the hottest hit streak of his whole career. And with his fifth album, Same Truck, he’s shifting into another gear.
“Honestly, this last chapter of my career, I’ve never had that before with the Number Ones at radio and the crowds we’re getting at our shows,” McCreery says, looking back on what now seems like a pivotal transition – one that made his new album possible. “To me it kind of feels like we’re just getting started, as opposed to ‘Hey, this is your 10th year doing this.’”
Scotty McCreery – Photo Courtesy of Triple Tigers
Chatting with Sounds Like Nashville ahead of the album’s release, it’s easy enough to see why McCreery would feel that way. Every official single released from his Gold certified 2018 album, Seasons Change, ended up on top of the charts, with “Five More Minutes,” “This Is It” and “In Between” all making the climb. Now he’s got another hit with the Top 10 and climbing “You Time,” and he’s finally back on the road, too, touring with Old Dominion. Things are indeed looking up for the star, but truth be told, his latest albums were both born from tough spots.
For Seasons Change, it was an unexpected departure from his first record label. And with Same Truck, it’s been a global pandemic which has redefined life in countless ways. But to his credit, McCreery has never backed down from a challenge
Feeling a spark of inspiration as COVID-19 swept everyday life aside, McCreery boldly scrapped the first version of what became Same Truck. He ended up co-writing all but two songs on the new version of the project, sounding more poised and purposeful than ever. And if Seasons Change was McCreery becoming a man, this one finds him gaining some much needed “perspective.”
It’s a term he keeps coming back to in our conversation, and like so much of the perspective we’ve gained in the last year and a half, it all started at home.
“I’ve never made an album like this,” he admits. “This will be my fifth, but this time felt like going through it alone. Writing songs with buddies but through a computer on zoom – I was just basically upstairs in our guest bedroom in a little studio that we made there. But at the end of the day, you write songs that you believe in, you record the songs you love.”
With 12 tracks in total, those songs ended up showing more maturity than ever, and exploring everything from the common bonds his fans share to the eternal flame of romance. Producers Frank Rogers, Derek Wells and Aaron Eshuis helped McCreery advance his still-timeless feeling country sound, and he even found new ways to approach his famous value system – the “Three Fs” of faith, family and friends. It all feels tailored for where McCreery is in his life and career, but ironically, this isn’t the album he set out to make.
“It’s a completely different album that it would have been,” he explains. “And personally, I think it’s a much better album.”
Looking back, McCreery says the project was all but finished when the pandemic started, but if he’s honest, he knew they weren’t the best songs he’d ever written. With life turned upside down, he suddenly realized that things change fast, and he might never get to make a record again. So, better to make this one count.
It’s a term he keeps coming back to in our conversation, and like so much of the perspective we’ve gained in the last year and a half, it all started at home.
“I’ve never made an album like this,” he admits. “This will be my fifth, but this time felt like going through it alone. Writing songs with buddies but through a computer on zoom – I was just basically upstairs in our guest bedroom in a little studio that we made there. But at the end of the day, you write songs that you believe in, you record the songs you love.”
With 12 tracks in total, those songs ended up showing more maturity than ever, and exploring everything from the common bonds his fans share to the eternal flame of romance. Producers Frank Rogers, Derek Wells and Aaron Eshuis helped McCreery advance his still-timeless feeling country sound, and he even found new ways to approach his famous value system – the “Three Fs” of faith, family and friends. It all feels tailored for where McCreery is in his life and career, but ironically, this isn’t the album he set out to make.
“It’s a completely different album that it would have been,” he explains. “And personally, I think it’s a much better album.”
Looking back, McCreery says the project was all but finished when the pandemic started, but if he’s honest, he knew they weren’t the best songs he’d ever written. With life turned upside down, he suddenly realized that things change fast, and he might never get to make a record again. So, better to make this one count.
Scotty McCreery – Photo Courtesy of Triple Tigers
“It’s kind of a reflective state, this record, and my previous records were very much looking ahead, toward life and what’s gonna come,” he opens up. “I think in the last year I sat back and thought more about what am I really grateful for in life, what have I been taking for granted. I think I was just in that mindset when I was writing songs. I was feeling very thankful – and obviously we were all in an interesting spot.”
Tracks like the 2020 release “You Time” speak to that interesting spot. Now rising up the country radio charts, the song is all about needing to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and reconnect with romance – which was just what McCreery needed, back before the pandemic hit.
Elsewhere, the title track highlights the things that connect us, rather than keep us apart. That never used to be a controversial theme, but these days, McCreery says it’s more important than ever for artists to share what they see from the stage – namely, an ocean of different faces who root for different teams and drive different roads, but all share a way of life.
“I think it’s just an important message, and I think it’s one that most people out there agree with and ‘get,’” he says. “You go out there and look around in the news and stuff, and it’s just all this divisiveness. I wish we could all go “Man, we’re on the same team here, let’s come together. Let’s figure this thing out.’”
Still, McCreery’s no preacher, and plenty of songs on Same Truck are geared for a good time. “Why You Gotta Be Like That” is a smitten snap-track with a flirty foundation, while “Small Town Girl” conjures up memories of John Mellencamp’s heartland-rocking heyday.
Scotty McCreery – Photo Courtesy of Triple Tigers
“It’s kind of a reflective state, this record, and my previous records were very much looking ahead, toward life and what’s gonna come,” he opens up. “I think in the last year I sat back and thought more about what am I really grateful for in life, what have I been taking for granted. I think I was just in that mindset when I was writing songs. I was feeling very thankful – and obviously we were all in an interesting spot.”
Tracks like the 2020 release “You Time” speak to that interesting spot. Now rising up the country radio charts, the song is all about needing to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and reconnect with romance – which was just what McCreery needed, back before the pandemic hit.
Elsewhere, the title track highlights the things that connect us, rather than keep us apart. That never used to be a controversial theme, but these days, McCreery says it’s more important than ever for artists to share what they see from the stage – namely, an ocean of different faces who root for different teams and drive different roads, but all share a way of life.
Scotty McCreery – Photo Courtesy of Triple Tigers
“I think it’s just an important message, and I think it’s one that most people out there agree with and ‘get,’” he says. “You go out there and look around in the news and stuff, and it’s just all this divisiveness. I wish we could all go “Man, we’re on the same team here, let’s come together. Let’s figure this thing out.’”
Still, McCreery’s no preacher, and plenty of songs on Same Truck are geared for a good time. “Why You Gotta Be Like That” is a smitten snap-track with a flirty foundation, while “Small Town Girl” conjures up memories of John Mellencamp’s heartland-rocking heyday.
Elsewhere, the North Carolina native tributes the heavenly nature of his home state on “Carolina to Me,” and tips a hat to pure-country heartbreak (and King George) with the clever, “Damn Strait” – which fans can hear live on the road now. “The Waiter” has done just that for 15 years, waiting patiently for a project with enough deep-thinking gravitas to find a place on the menu. And then there are tracks like “That Kind of Fire,” which light the fuse on a different kind of maturity.
Dedicated to his wife, Gabi (just like every love song McCreery writes), the track turns up the sensual heat with a musky vocal growl and steamy lyrics, raising the romantic pressure to higher levels of passion than ever before.
“This is definitely three-years-into-marriage Scotty,” the hit maker says with a sheepish laugh. “I couldn’t have put this on any record before now, it’s definitely a song I would just sing to my wife – and it’s definitely the steamiest song I’ve ever put out. Some people might be kind of surprised!”
But it’s his idea of “perspective” where McCreery feels the most pull, and as such, that’s how he closes the album out. He sees “How You Doing Up There” as the bookend to a conversation started in the opening track, “Same Truck,” but instead of asking God to help us, McCreery turns the tables.
Scotty McCreery – Photo Courtesy of Triple Tigers
“Faith has always been such a big part of my life, and I’m praying constantly throughout the day, different little parts of it. … I just never thought to pray this prayer,” he explains. “It was like ‘Everything is so crazy now and everyone in the world is praying, asking for help. But has anybody thought of asking God how he’s doing?’”
Chalk it up as another example of the person McCreery has grown into – a guy who’s now asking the hard questions and making the tough calls. If he had stuck with his original plan for this album, we probably never would have known any different. But after 10 years, he’s learned to trust his instincts.
“I’ve got no complaints,” he says of his decade in country, with all the ups and downs included. “There are probably some things I’d go back and do differently, but I believe everything happens for a reason. It’s been a wild ride, and if you told me 10 years ago ‘In 2021 you’ll still be making music, you’ll still get to make records and tour the country singing country music,’ I’d say ‘Sign me up.’”
