Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Reigning American Idol champ Scotty McCreery is having a pretty great week.
Not only was he invited to tour with country superstar Brad Paisley in 2012, he was asked to sing the National Anthem at the opening game of the World Series. On top of that, his debut album Clear As Day hit stores this morning. And if all that’s not enough of a reason to celebrate, McCreery also turns 18 on Sunday.
“I’m pretty pumped today,” the young star conceded over the phone this morning, just minutes after stepping off the Live! With Regis and Kelly stage. For McCreery, the release of his debut album is the culmination of months spent recording while he was out on the 49-stop American Idols LIVE! tour. “I’m anxious to see what people think of [the album],” he says. “We’re about to go walk down to the store and get it.”
Though Scotty says he enjoyed touring with his fellow Idol contestants this summer—”We miss it. I think all of us do.”—he’s looking forward to blazing his own trail. “I think everybody on the tour was kind of ready to get out and venture onto their own things now,” he explains. For this particularly talented group of Idol contestants, that makes sense. Lauren Alaina, Haley Reinhart, Pia Toscano, and James Durbin have all scored record deals, and Stefano Langone was recently picked up by 19 Management.
Scotty’s next venture is to promote Clear As Day, an album that reflects the teenager’s old-soul sentiments, which are immediately apparent upon speaking with him. When asked about the first album he owned, McCreery responded, “I was an Elvis fanatic from kindergarten through middle school.” When asked about what current performer has him excited, he answered, “George Strait’s new album is incredible.” When asked about artists he’d like to collaborate with, he pondered, “Maybe a classic country singer—Randy Travis or Loretta Lynn. Those are people I grew up listening to.”
But McCreery doesn’t plan on growing up too fast. After all, he hasn’t even graduated high school. “When I’m on the road, my mom is teaching me and handling my assignments,” he notes. “But when I’m at home, I’ll be at the football games, I’ll be at the basketball games, anything to just kind of kind of stay connected with my peer group back home and still be a kid.”
Forunately, McCreery’s favorite track on his new disc, “Water Tower Town,” will help to remind him of all his friends and family back in hometown Garner, North Carolina. “When I’m singing that song, it’s kind of the way I grew up.” Not anymore!
What’s your take on McCreery’s debut? Did you pick it up today? Let us know in the comments.
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Read more on EW.com:
Scotty McCreery will sing the national anthem at the World Series
Scotty McCreery set to tour with Brad Paisley in 2012
Scotty McCreery releases new single ‘The Trouble With Girls’: Listen to it here!
Love the CD–every country fan should buy it:)!
He’ll be working the drive-thru at McDonald’s in 2013.
Bet you wish it was you..having a hit album. Go Scotty!!
Great Album
ra ra oh ga ga pa pa na na flop u la
I like the album.
It has potential. He seems like a nice kid.
I love the album very talented young man who is a true country artist
Meh
I want to thank Scotty for making me a true country fan.
I love the Album.
explain true country to me. something tells me your definition of true country, is not “truly” country.
The album is really great. I was going thru Walmart asking people if they had bought it yet. Scotty has really inspired me. I can’t say enough good about him and his singing. The album has a nice mix of music. Im 62 and some of the songs are directed more toward the younger people, but I feel so proud of him and I will buy anything he puts out. What a testimony and example!! I love him.
Sex offender alert!!!!!!!
love the songs in his debut album! pre-ordered it from his site, i-Tunes, and Amazon…….a true country music WITH a flavor of contemporary feel – not the other way around, which you hear mostly in country radios nowadays.
Love the cd. Scotty will be around a long time to come. Love him!
LOVE the cd. Great job Scotty.
GREAT!!!
Can’t wait for the next CD
LMFAO-sorry you will have to work the drive thru all alone!!
Good answer to who will be working the drive-thru. This album of Scotty’s is so enjoyable. Love country music.Bought Clear as Day, will help support Scotty on this journey.
Loved the CD. Great job!!!!!!!
The new CD reflects what Scotty has said from day one, he stayed true to the old country soul. Love the CD, can’t wait to hear more from this young artist.
I love the CD its mostly chicks that are writing comments but im a dude and Iove the cd and scotty is my fav singer now ever since day 1 he was on american idol i was rooting for him and knew he would win the whole thing and go on to dominate country music i voted for him constantly and on the season finale i couldnt even begin to tell u how many times i voted, i pre ordered 3 cds through his site and have been telling everyone to but it every song on the cd could be a hit not many cds u can say that about, I think Scotty McCreery is the very best Country Music Singer in the buisness keep up the good work man!!!!!