From Idol to the Opry: A Conversation with Scotty McCreery
By Brent Thompson
Photos by Jeff Ray.
American Idol has helped launch the careers of many artists, but few have had the staying power of country sensation Scotty McCreery. Since winning the 10th season of the wildly popular television singing contest in 2011, McCreery has been a consistent presence on the country charts. In addition, he has received honors at the Academy of Country Music Awards, BMI Country Awards, and CMT Music Awards. But, recently, his career reached perhaps its most significant milestone when McCreery was invited by Garth Brooks to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
“Garth surprised me on stage in December,” McCreery recalls, speaking by phone from North Carolina on a two-week tour break. “Everybody on my team knew, everybody in my family knew, and my friends knew, but they kept the secret from me. I didn’t find out until that night.”
Though the invitation was extended several months ago, you can still hear the excitement in McCreery’s voice when he discusses the upcoming induction. “It’s a dream come true—it really is,” he says. “I’m an old soul at 30 years old, and I’ve got a lot of appreciation for the Opry and what it has done for country music history and all the artists that played there. To get that call and to get the invite from Garth Brooks—I couldn’t have dreamed it up any better. I can’t wait for the induction.”
On May 10, McCreery will release his fifth studio album, Rise & Fall, on Triple Tigers Records. “We’re excited about it, “he says. “We wrote most of the album right where I’m sitting right now. We’re pumped about the songs.”
In discussing the album’s creation, McCreery says, “Some of [the songs] were personal—like about my baby boy being born—but really I took a lot of my songwriting buddies up from Nashville to our place in the North Carolina mountains and sat around the fire with our guitars and wrote songs like the old days. This is what came out of those sessions. It was a fun way to write an album—I’d never done one like that before. We had a good time.”
When co-writing, I ask McCreery if he tends to specialize in lyrics, music, or both. “It could be any of the above —every song is different,” he explains. “Every story gets told in a different way—sometimes you start with a chorus, sometimes you start with a verse. You never quite know how it’s going to all come together. Most of the time, fingers-crossed, you get started and a few hours later you’ve got a song you’re excited about.”
For the writing sessions of Rise & Fall, McCreery enlisted the help of some familiar faces. “For the most part, it was folks I’d worked with in the past,” he offers. “I’ve been doing it for 12 or 13 years, and I’ve made some really good friends. You just kind of find who fits with your vibe and who can tell the story the way you’d like to tell it and can craft it like you want it crafted. You get your crew together and stick with them. I like trying new folks as well but, for the most part, I’ve kind of got my songwriting family that I like to vibe with.”
In the world of Spotify, YouTube, iTunes, satellite radio, and other outlets, I ask McCreery how he views the climate of today’s music industry. “I think it’s great for the fans,” he says. “They can listen to what they want to listen to whenever they want to listen to it. For us, it’s a good thing that you can get your music to all sorts of people really quickly—it just changes how you go about it. Instead of releasing one album every four years, you have to crank out music pretty consistently because as soon as we put it out there they can listen to it a thousand times and then they’re ready for the next song. I think it’s mainly positive, especially for the fans and that’s why we do this in the first place—to get music out in the world that can impact people in a positive way.”
With more than a decade’s worth of material under his belt, McCreery’s current live shows focus on new songs and some old fan favorites. “I love playing music from the whole length of my career, but I’m kind of at the point where I’m leaning a little more heavily on the new stuff,” he offers. “We don’t play too much off the first album, because we’re touring on a new album and introducing people to the music. You don’t want to go to somebody’s concert and not hear the songs you showed up to hear, so ‘Five More Minutes’ and ‘Damn Strait’ will always be in the set. I’m excited about the new music, so we’re definitely leaning heavily on the new material.”
Though he has played some of his songs countless times at this point, McCreery says the audience keeps the older songs fresh for him every night. “I think it’s just looking at the fans’ faces,” he explains. “When you start a song, it’s like, ‘Oh man, this is the millionth time I’ve played it,’ but then you see somebody’s face light up and smile, or they’ll stand up and start clapping. You realize this might be your millionth time playing it, but for these people, it’s the first time they might be seeing you play it live, and it means something to them. That’s what does it for me.”
Scotty McCreery is headlining this year’s CityFest performing Saturday night June 1st at 9 p.m.
Tenille Townes
Canadian singer songwriter and soulful Nashville star is coming to CityFest 2024
Born in Grande Prairie, Canada, 26-year-old singer-songwriter Tenille Townes earned accolades for her wise-beyond-her-years ballads even before she struck out for Nashville in 2013. Townes grew up listening to Patty Griffin and Shania Twain in her parent’s car. Little did she know that she’d be touring with Shania one day as well as Stevie Nicks and Maria Lambert who all quickly got the power of her writing and singing. Songs like “Jersey on The Wall (I’m Just Asking),” a profoundly moving track inspired by a high school basketball players death and “Somebody’s Daughter,” helped the record win Country Album of the Year at the 2021 JUNO Awards. Townes seized that coveted prize again with 2022’s Masquerades, a seven-song project revealing her more introspective side and in 2022, she toured Europe and the UK with country icon George Strait.
“To me, the greatest measure of success is the stories that people share with me about how my songs have affected them,” Townes says. “It proves how powerful music can be—there can be a door inside you that’s closed for a long time, and then you hear a song that cracks it open a bit, and all of a sudden there’s light coming in.”
Townes’ latest song, “As You Are” strays sonically from past hits. By embracing a more stripped-back and free-flowing sound than she’d ever attempted before, she has magnified the intimacy of her music—an element that’s especially abundant in her live performance. “I think a lot of people come to see me for the more emotional songs, but we also love to have those moments that feel like an explosion of joy, where everyone can have fun and stomp around and forget about everything else for a while,” says Townes.
Thankfully that explosion of joy will be on display June 1st at CityFest. For a full lineup of acts and information visit alabastercityfest.com
Here are some tips for getting the most out of this year’s event:
When is it, where is it? CityFest kicks off Saturday, June 1st around 9 a.m. with a Cruise –In Car Show and ends with a final concert by Scotty McCreery at 9 p.m. that night. So much in between. The event is held at Thompson High School, 1921 Warrior Pkwy, Alabaster, 35007.
What gives CityFest its amazing staying power?
CityFest has changed a lot in its 22 years, but the things that stay consistent are the fun, the free admission, and the family atmosphere.
How is CityFest free every year?
Obviously, the financial support from sponsors is important; without the cash, we can’t book music artists, bring in the rides for the kids, or even keep the lights on (it takes a lot of electricity to put on a big show). Our title sponsors—Central State Bank and Coca-Cola—help provide the dollars to keep the show going. But there are also dozens of “in-kind” sponsors who provide products and services. So be sure you thank our CityFest sponsors you see, and let them know you appreciate their generosity!
Are the workers paid, or are they volunteers?
The event organizers—the Alabaster Arts Council—from the leadership on down, is 100 percent volunteer, and they do the work because they love the festival and the community. And it’s year-round work: gathering sponsors and booking music and entertainment starts right after CityFest ends every year and happens all through the following fall and winter.
How do you choose music acts?
We have a very diverse community with diverse tastes, which we try to accommodate throughout the day. We try to pick great artists from every genre. And every time slot won’t be for every taste, but you will hear something you like. And because we are an ARTS council, we also want to introduce the community to something new now and again.
How can I purchase VIP passes?
VIP passes are available for sponsors, so the easiest way to get one is become a sponsor! Sponsorship levels start at $500. On occasion, we do offer VIP passes to individuals, though, through contests or promotions with our sponsors. These are announced on our Facebook page. Be sure to follow us on Facebook @alabastercityfest for these opportunities.
Is CityFest kid friendly?
Absolutely! Alabaster CityFest is one of the state’s premier family festivals. We are proud of our KidsFest area that includes inflatables, hands-on arts & crafts, and various other activities.
Coolers, pets, firearms
These three are not allowed by City Ordinance. Same goes for smoking. And of course we are now on school property, so we don’t sell alcohol or allow it, period.
Anything else?
Employees from the City of Alabaster—police, fire, parks and rec, leadership—all work tirelessly to get ready, maintain, and clean up after the event, as well as to keep it safe and accessible. That’s on top of the financial support provided by the city through arts funding. When you spend your dollars on the foods, crafts, and products on sale at Cityfest, you’re helping support everything else that happens there. Buy a t-shirt!
For a full lineup of acts and information visit alabastercityfest.com