Scotty McCreery: No Frills, Just Country - He Isn't Slowing Down

Scotty McCreery talks to LiveWithLP about returning to Europe for C2C Festival

He’s a household name in the country scene, and it feels like only yesterday, he was taking the mainstage by storm at C2C 2022. Back to show the crowd what a real country show is like, Scotty McCreery chats with LiveWithLP about the last few years, life changes and why it’s always feeling like home back in Scotland. 

Scotty, so much has changed since the last time you were on the C2C bill.

No kidding! I was just chatting to my wife back home and talking to my 3-year-old like, “Do you remember being here, buddy?” and then it clicked. Wait, you weren’t even born the last time we played here, so personally, life has changed, and musically life has changed, but I'm so happy to be back. 

You seem to be having a blast being back over the pond, and even an onstage collaboration with our adopted Brit, Mr Darius Rucker, who was actually the headliner the last time you played C2C Festival. 

Oh, I love that guy, he is so fun, and to be able to get on stage together and sing Bottle Rockets together in his now home city was just such a special moment. We’ve actually never done that song live together before, so it was fun to get on stage and also see the crowd's reaction, just losing their minds - they love some Darius for sure. 

It’s the specific part of the song with Hold My Hand when it sounds like a choir is breaking out, that must have sounded so spectacular in an arena.

Oh, it did, and the crowd was singing along, and just hearing Darius’ voice in our ears like OH.. that's Hootie! It was a pretty special moment; we’ll talk about that one for a long time. 

It's great to have you back in Glasgow as well. It doesn’t seem like all that long ago you were here with a sell-out show at The Barrowland Ballroom with Caylee Hammack.

That was such a fantastic night. I love coming back to Scotland, and to get the call to return to the festival this year, it's honestly just a dream. The Barrowlands being such an iconic historical venue too, I mean, everyone has played there! So to sell it out was just a dream.

It was an incredible night, and a venue quite a bit larger capacity-wise for C2C opening up for Zach Top. Have you crossed paths with them before? 

I have played a few shows with Zach in the past - he is just music to my ears as to what country music should be, he is so talented, and such a nice guy. You can sit there and talk to him forever. A lot of new folks come along and try different things, but he is one guy you can look at and say, " Man, this guy deserves everything he’s getting, and there's a reason he’s taking off, like a rocket ship, because he's phenomenal. 

Such an exciting year for you as well, already completed a few European shows, what else does 2026 hold for you and the team

We’re just going to keep working, we’re never satisfied so we’re back in the studio soon finishing up a project and we will be on the road all year long a few trips to great venues such as the Carnegie Hall and the Grand Ole Opry - I’m super excited to just keep on carrying the country music torch around the states and even over the pond to places here like Glasgow.

Speaking of The Grand Ole Opry, it recently had its British debut in London! Does the realisation of ‘wow, I just played the Opry’ ever wear off? 

No, it does not - The Grand Ole Opry is my favourite stage to play country music on - there's just so much history, and I would say you can feel the ghost of country music's past like it's right there on stage with you. It was always top of my bucket list to be part of that family and to be a member there, and a couple of years ago, Garth Brooks came on stage and surprised me by inviting me to be a member, and then Randy Travis and Josh Turner inducted me. Just a dream come true. 

I’m actually heading to Nashville for the first time in April, and hoping to visit the Opry myself.

You have to! If anyone ever asks me what I should do in Nashville, I’m sure there are all honky tonks and bars, but you have to go to the Opry. 

You mentioned earlier that Zach Top is someone who really embodies country music. Is there anyone on your radar at the moment that makes you think ‘wow, they’re really impressive in this genre’? 

Emily Ann Roberts is one, what a voice I’ve been loving listening to her, Cody Johnson is another for me, the traditional side of things is where I lean and gravitate towards, but there's a lot of good stuff coming out right now, and it's fun to see. I’ve been in the music business now for 15 years, and I’ve seen things go a little sideways, and I’ve seen it kind of always come back to the core, and right now - that's where music seems to be going in country. 

Absolutely - a few artists out there have even delved into country - Post Malone is a classic example of this, I know Beyonce also released a country album.

Post Malone has come out with so much respect for country music; he’s gone to Nashville, and he’s done it properly. I've been very impressed by Posty. I also love that Beyoncé wanted to do a little country because to me, it’s more eyes on country music. And shows they appreciate country music. Somebody may go and listen to Beyoncé's record and then find out who George Jones is or Dolly Parton, so to me it's all love, and it's cool.

You touched on earlier that you’re going to be heading into the studio. Does that mean that there's going to be some new music coming out? Any teasers?

We’ve been writing, and I can say this is going to be a different project than we’ve done before, so it’ll be fun. It's an interesting new challenge to get out there and try something different. I've always wanted to go down a different avenue.

So a new sound, new style.. Any new dream collabs to add to the wishlist? 

A lot of my heroes are still out there - I almost had a song with Garth at one point, so that would be fun if we ever got to do one, but I’m open. I would love to collaborate with anyone  - Carly Pearce is one, I love her voice.