Off The Record: Working on His New Album ‘Same Truck,’ Scotty McCreery Felt Like a Kid Again

“Well, we had an album that was almost ready to go… but then we had nothing but a year, year and a half to sit there with a guitar, write songs and come up with ideas,” Scotty McCreery said on the most recent installment of American Songwriter’s Off The Record. “We scrapped most of the record that was ready beforehand and made a brand new record called Same Truck.”

Since winning American Idol back in 2011, McCreery can’t remember a period when he’s had more time on his hands than last year in quarantine… and the extra space for creativity certainly shows on the 12 country tunes lining Same Truck. From the hit single “You Time” to the mid-tempo swagger of a track like “Why You Gotta Be Like That,” you can tell that not only is the now-28-year-old artist at the top of his game, but he’s having a lot of fun too. 

“I got started doing all of this when I was 16 years old… I hadn’t had time at home like that since I was 15!” McCreery reflected. “So, I was upstairs, in my room, playing guitar like I was a kid again. I hadn’t done that in a long time. It made me love it all again, you know? I got to write songs I really care about—you’re in a bit of a different headspace, going through a global pandemic.”

Yet, while he tapped into some of the childhood wonder that inspired him to start playing music as a kid, the version of McCreery reflected on Same Truck is certainly an older, more mature artist. “This record is really me sitting back—like we all had to do this last year—and taking that 30,000-foot view at everything,” he explained. “Being grateful for the little things, things I’ve learned, as a guy and as a husband. I think that definitely shows in the perspective of the writing for a lot of this record.”

Beyond that, McCreery also spoke about the inspiration behind “You Time,” the unifying power of music, the impact American Idol had on his artistry, and much more.

Watch the full episode below:

Photo by Jeff Ray