Scotty McCreery: Watch ‘Idol’ Alum Wow Opry Crowd

Performing at the Grand Ole Opry is a huge moment for any artist, and ‘American Idol‘ alum Scotty McCreery made the most of his on June 4th, 2025. As shown in an Instagram carousel from the evening, the singer wowed the Opry crowd with a lively rendition of “Bottle Rockets.”

Fans flocked to the comments section to praise McCreery’s performance. “My new summer jam,” one wrote. Others expressed their excitement about seeing the singer in upcoming concerts this summer. The post quickly garnered over 2,000 likes after going live.

McCreery Said The Song “Just Spilled Out”

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Some songs emerge in serendipitous circumstances, and “Bottle Rockets” is no exception. As McCreery told Billboard, it all started in a conversation with producer Frank Rogers. “I had mentioned how much I loved Hootie & the Blowfish,” the “American Idol” alum said. “And Frank being from South Carolina and a frequent collaborator with Darius [Rucker] knew exactly what to do with that.” As the band started playing part of what would become “Bottle Rockets,” Rogers inserted part of the Hootie & the Blowfish hit, “Hold My Hand” into the chorus. “Everyone was laughing and high-fiving because we knew we were on to something,” McCreery said. “The song really just spilled out from there.”

Of course, McCreery still needed permission from the band to incorporate “Hold My Hand” into the song. Luckily, as he shared with Billboard, they shared his excitement. “I was very glad to hear each one of the guys loved ‘Bottle Rockets’ and were very open to the idea of getting back in the studio and being on this song with me,” McCreery said. “You should have seen the smile on my face when I got that text back.”

‘Bottle Rockets’ Grew Legs on Social Media

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Like many songs in the digital age, “Bottle Rockets” first saw the light of day in a social media teaser. McCreery took to Instagram with a preview Reel featuring him performing the song, cut together with clips from the original “Hold My Hand” music video.

Fans of both McCreery and the beloved ’90s band were excited about the collab news, which came just a few days before the song’s official release. and the buzz has only gotten louder since the singer released the song. Could it be “the song of the summer,” as the Opry named it in their Instagram post? We’ve have to wait and see.