Local band welcomes Scotty, performs
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on May 15, 2011 1:50 AM
A band with Goldsboro ties performed with North Carolina's "American Idol" contestant during his hometown visit Saturday afternoon.
Scotty McCreery, a high school student from Garner, has been a fan favorite since Hollywood Week. His rich baritone voice was showcased on his signature song, "Your Man" -- featuring the lyrics, "Baby, lock them doors and turn the lights down low" by country singer Josh Turner.
On Thursday, he made it to the top 3 finalists for season 10, securing him a hometown visit filmed for next week's broadcast, which airs Wednesday and Thursday on FOX. He spent the bulk of Saturday attending a parade in his honor and performing in an outdoor mini-concert.
Blue Country and the Showcase Band was chosen as McCreery's band for the concert. The house band for Johnston Community College Music Showcase, performing bi-monthly in Smithfield, has played together for 18 years, said Melanie Horton, band manager.
Ms. Horton is also the acoustic and keyboard player, and co-owns S&H Studios in Goldsboro with Brent Shattuck, lead guitarist. Other members from Goldsboro include Jane Shattuck, vocalist, and Grover Hood, bass player.
The band received the invitation earlier in the week, Ms. Horton said.
"We got the call Tuesday that if Scotty made the Top 3, then we knew that we would be playing," she said.
The band was given a list of seven songs McCreery would be singing from previous rounds of the competition, and had one rehearsal on Thursday night, she said.
An estimated crowd of between 30,000 and 35,000 people turned out to welcome Scotty home, Ms. Horton said.
"It was just awesome," she said.
This was not the first time the band had met McCreery, who has performed at the showcase.
"I'm going to say a couple years ago he tried out," she said. "He was there in 2009 and he was supposed to be in the February show and they had already signed him to a contract with Idol so he was not allowed to sing there. But he and his parents still came out and signed autographs, so that tells you a lot about their character and the kind of people they are."
Her impression Saturday was that he was overwhelmed and even taken aback by the turnout in his honor.
"He was very guarded, but he did take a minute to talk with us," she said, adding that when he performed, "It was phenomenal because he was not in a rush, he just took his time, interacted with the audience and talked with them.
"He broke down or teared up at the very last. It was really emotional."
He also had a surprise co-star, she said.
"When he started on that 'Your Man,' just a few bars of that, Josh Turner came out," she said. "It took Scotty's breath away. They did that (together) and 'Long Black Train."
Winner of this season's "Idol" will be announced May 25. Regardless of the outcome, Scotty is guaranteed a spot on the summer tour of "American Idol Live" this summer. Tickets went on sale Friday, and include a stop in Raleigh on July 27.