Scotty McCreery Talks ‘Rise and Fall’ and His New ‘No-Rules’ Approach to Music [Exclusive]

Thirteen years into his career, newly minted Grand Ole Opry member Scotty McCreery releases Rise and Fall, his fifth studio album and his favorite project to date. The 13-track collection is completely representative of who McCreery is as an artist, a husband, a father, and a true champion of country music. 

Throughout the album-making process, McCreery decided to push all the rules aside and focus on making an album that he believed in, rather than chasing trends. The result is something the North Carolina native is extremely proud of. 

“I was like, ‘Man, I feel like I’m at a place where I just want to make a record that feels good to me.’ It’s fun to sing. It feels right to sing. It feels like me telling my story and even if it’s not my autobiographical story, something that I love to sing…It all feels very me,” McCreery shared during a recent conversation with Country Now. 

With six No.1 singles now under his belt, McCreery admitted he felt a bit less pressure with the album, giving him the freedom to embrace a “no rules” approach when writing and recording. 

“We didn’t put up any guardrails,” he revealed. 

Rise and Fall is a ‘90s country music fan’s dream. From top to bottom, fans will hear McCreery’s traditional influences, most notably in tracks such as “Little More Gone,” “Can’t Pass The Bar,” and “No Country For Old Men.” The 30-year-old told us it wasn’t necessarily intentional to chase the beloved sounds of the ‘90s, it was more so a natural process.      

“I didn’t tell the producers ‘‘90s this’ or the writers ‘‘90s that.’ I wanted to make a record that reflects who I am. But naturally, as a kid growing up in the ’90s, that’s what I loved. I do feel like that’s probably my favorite decade of country music. So it’s only natural that some of these sounds, the guitar riffs, the fiddle, the steel guitar, some of it kind of came out like that,” he explained. “Even some of the song titles and the twist on words that country music is known for like ‘Cab In A Solo’ or ‘Can’t Pass the Bar,’ it’s all from stuff that influenced me growing up.”

McCreery’s undeniable storytelling skills are also seen throughout the project. The song “Fall Of Summer” paints the picture of young summer love in listeners’ minds, while the album-closer, “Porch,” instantly transports fans to a breezy day in the mountains while reminding them to cherish the simpler things in life. 

“Porch” is the perfect way to close out the album, and even includes a shoutout to McCreery’s son, Avery. 

“Little man, little man, climb up in my lap/ Leave your little boots by mine on the mat/ One day you’re gonna make this big world yours/ But you’ll always have a spot by your Daddy on the porch,” he sings on the final verse of the song. 

“It kind of has that Appalachian feel to it, which is where the album, a lot of it was made,” McCreery explained of the track. “And then the end, the last verse is a little nod to my little man back home just like, ‘Hey man, it’s crazy big world out there, but you always can always come back to Daddy if you want.’” 

Being the true family man that he is, McCreery gave his wife and other relatives a sneak peek of the project. He said his entire family has been supportive of the record and admitted that they each have varying opinions on what should be his next single.

“Gabi loves ‘Porch.’ ‘Hey Rose’ and ‘Love Like This’ are probably her favorites,” he revealed. “Fall of Summer,’ my family loves that one and ‘Slow Dance.’” 

With an album as solid as Rise and Fall, any track has the possibility to be a hit at country radio.