Inside Scotty McCreery’s Connection to the North Carolina Mountains: Proposal, Wedding, and Album Cover

Scotty McCreery shares why the North Carolina mountains hold such a special place in his heart. In a recent Instagram post, the country star took a trip down memory lane to give fans a look at some of the personal milestones that have taken place within those mountains and how he plans to continue to celebrate his roots in his upcoming music. 

A Slew Of Milestone Moments Took Place In The Mountains

The Instagram post includes three photos, starting with the day he proposed to his now wife, Gabi, to their wedding day and lastly, the album cover for his next album, Rise & Fall, all which are captured on the mountainside and feature a stunning view in the foreground. 

His caption read, “How it started vs. how it’s going ⛰️ From the proposal to our wedding and now the album cover for Rise & Fall, The North Carolina mountains mean a lot to me and Gabi. I can’t wait to share the album with y’all!” 

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Their Love Story Began In Kindergarten

The lovebirds first met in Kindergarten and before they were even old enough to date, Gabi foreshadowed their love story as she would write “Mrs. Gabi McCreery” with hearts in her diary. They began dating during high school and in 2017, McCreery finally popped the question during a hike on a trail near Grandfather Mountain

In the first photo in his recent post, the couple is seen standing at the very top of the mountain, where the country singer got down on one knee and asked Gabi to be his wife using a ring that he had custom-designed for her. 

“I’ve been planning this moment for so long that it feels surreal for it to have finally happened,” the American Idol Season 10 winner told PEOPLE at the time of the engagement. “Gabi is the perfect girl and my true love, and I cannot wait to begin building our life together as husband and wife.”

Gabi has appeared in several of McCreery’s music videos throughout his career, as his catalog of songs is widely known for highlighting his love for his wife. She has made cameo’s in videos such as “The Trouble with Girls,” “Feelin’ It,” “Five More Minutes,” and “This Is It,” which documents their wedding day that took place on June 16, 2018.

Once again, they found themselves capturing a very special moment in their lives in the setting of the state where they were both raised. The video takes viewers through the journey of their wedding weekend, from their rehearsal dinner to a photo shoot in the mountains, and all the events leading up to the moment they said “I do.” While all this is happening, McCreery’s baritone vocals can be heard illustrating how happy he was to finally be starting forever with his person.  

Then in October of 2022, their family grew as the “Damn Strait” singer and Gabi welcomed their first baby, a son named Merrick Avery McCreery. 

“Never known a love like this,” McCreery captioned his Instagram post announcing the news. “Merrick Avery McCreery joined us 11 days early on October 24th at 4:34am! 7 lbs 13oz of nothin but love!”

New Album, “Rise & Fall”

On May 10, 2024, fans will get to hear 13 new songs from McCreery as part of his fifth studio album, Rise & Fall. Serving as a co-writer on all but one of the tracks, the Triple Tigers recording artist can confidently say that Frank Rogers, Aaron Eshuis and Derek Wells produced project is his “favorite album” he’s created so far. 

Along with covering themes of love, heartbreak, faith, family, and even a few party anthems, McCreery hinted that the project will feature a slew of nostalgia as he channels the era of his musical heroes. 

“I know every artist says it, but this is truly my favorite album I’ve made so far,” shares McCreery. “I wanted to create an album that reflected the music I grew up on and wasn’t chasing trends. So, I brought several of my songwriting buddies to the mountains of North Carolina to sit down and write a full-on country album that told a story, start to finish, and spoke to my soul.”

Fans have already gotten a glimpse into the album from four advanced releases including  “Can’t Pass the Bar,” “Love Like This,” the lead single “Cab in a Solo,” and his latest surprise drop, “Slow Dance.”

Scotty McCreery’s 2024 Cab in a Solo Tour is well underway and is set to run through mid-March.