Country star Scotty McCreery is still buzzing from his recent collaboration with iconic rock band Hootie & the Blowfish on their new track, “Bottle Rockets.” The upbeat duet, released just days ago, is already resonating with fans, not only for its nostalgic sound but also for its heartwarming backstory.
Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, May 21, the 31-year-old singer shared the origins of the song in a video message, calling the experience “a dream.” “We wrote this song in the mountains of North Carolina,” McCreery recalled. “We were sitting around the couch, talking about old summers, reminiscing on good times and the soundtracks of those summers—and I started talking about Hootie & the Blowfish.”
McCreery’s co-writer, Frank Rogers, began strumming the band’s classic hit “Hold My Hand” alongside what would become “Bottle Rockets,” and according to McCreery, “it just felt natural.” He continued, “It felt like that’s how the song was supposed to be.”
Despite already being friends with lead singer Darius Rucker, McCreery admitted he was nervous to ask the band to join the track. But to his delight, Rucker and the rest of Hootie & the Blowfish “instantly loved” the song. Rather than sampling their earlier hit, the band returned to the studio to freshly re-record their parts for the new track. “I can’t tell you how much that meant to me,” McCreery said. “It’s made the song that much better.”
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Alongside this major musical moment, McCreery also shared a more personal side with fans—a video of him playing golf with his two-year-old son, Avery. Set to the tune of “Bottle Rockets,” the clip captures a touching scene of McCreery helping Avery with his putting skills, highlighting the toddler’s growing enthusiasm for the game and the close bond between father and son. It’s not the first time the singer has shared their golfing adventures, but paired with the summery vibes of the new track, it made for an especially heartwarming post.
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“Bottle Rockets” is already being hailed as a memorable summer anthem, blending McCreery’s heartfelt country storytelling with the feel-good sound of one of the ’90s’ most beloved bands.
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While Scotty hasn’t released the official video for the song yet, check out the full song below from his YouTube page!
