“This Is It”: Scotty McCreery prepares to play the Ryman as a chart-topping hitmaker

Steve Lowry/Ryman AuditoriumTonight, Scotty McCreery brings his tour to Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium for the first time in half-a-dozen years. 

While the American Idol winner has played other events at the Ryman, it’s been quite awhile since he’s done his own show at the Mother Church of Country Music.

“First time headlining in about six years, and [it’s] six years too long!” Scotty tells ABC Audio. “I love it there, so [I] can’t wait.”

“It’s definitely a little more butterflies there than you get anywhere else,” he admits. “Because you want to go out there and put your best foot forward and play your best show you have…”

“We’ll be pumped up. We’ll be jacked for that one!” he adds.

Looking back on his previous times playing the former home of the Grand Ole Opry, Scotty can’t help but focus on the significance of the legendary platform.

“My goodness!” he reflects, “just looking out the stained glass windows ahead of you and just knowing that you’re on the stage, that so many greats have come before you…  It’s like pressure that…so many greats have been here. You want to make them proud.”

You can be sure Scotty’s chart-topping hits “Five More Minutes” and “This Is It” will both be part of his set.

“We played a lot of covers the last time…” he says. “So it’ll be fun to come back with a couple songs that mean a lot to me and that did well at radio. And it’ll be the first time being there on that stage playing number ones.”

He adds: “And it was always my goal just to get A number one. So the fact that we have two now, it’s an amazing thing.”  

Scotty’s current hit, “In Between,” just broke into country’s top twenty.

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