Lauren Alaina Pre-Order Wildflower on Itunes,Scotty Going on Tour with Brad Paisley

As if you didn't already know you can NOW PRE-ORDER your copy of Lauren's debut album Wildflower on ITunes!


Also Brad Paisley has invited Scotty to go on tour with him in 2012!

Scotty will appear on the Today show, The Ellen DeGeneres, Regis and Kelly, and the Tonight Show!

Article:Lauren explains songs on Wildflower

1. “Georgia Peaches” (Mallary Hope, Blair Daly and Rachel Proctor)

“First of all, I am a Georgia peach! When I heard the title of the song, I liked it. After I heard the full song, I fell in love with it. It’s one of my favorites on the album. It is up-tempo and a song that everyone can dance to. It’s great because it says there is nothing sweeter than Georgia peaches, and in the bridge it welcomes people in who aren’t from Georgia: ‘It don’t matter where you’re from/ Come on in and have some fun. It’s a really cool song that I think people will enjoy.”

2. “Growing Her Wings” (Nicolle Gaylon and Nicole Witt)

“I love this song because it’s playful and young girls are going to love it. It talks about how a girl kisses a neighbor and her Dad grounds her. The girl is reading Cosmo magazine that her mother doesn’t want her to read. She is in her room growing her wings, becoming who she is behind closed doors and she’s just about ready to fly away. I feel like that is who I was six months ago. I feel like I’ve formed my wings and now I’m flying. This song is really playful and fun. I just love it.”

3. “Tupelo” (Hillary Lindsey, Steven McEwan and Gordie Sampson)

“’Tupelo’ has been one of my favorites since the very beginning. It has one of the coolest vibes to it. It’s not like any other Country song out there. It has a summertime feel to it -- like the wind is blowing or you’re lying in a hammock. It’s about taking a trip with this boy that you are in love with, and having fun with him as he does things like picking a wildflower and putting it in your hair. It’s a cute story about a boy and a girl taking a trip just to spend time together, driving around and doing nothing.”

4. “The Middle” (Zac Maloy, Rachel Proctor and David Hodges)

‘’’The Middle’ is cool because it has a completely different vibe than all of the other songs. It’s almost like it’s a sad song, but it’s also happy at the same time. It has a great message.

It’s the kind of song that makes you want to cry. It says don’t worry about the small things. Things that have happened in the past or what you think might happen tomorrow. All that matters is what happens right now. That message really appealed to me because crazy things have happened to me in the last year. I think it’s a song that people can relate to no matter what point you are at in your life. It tells you to take each day and make it last. You have to live day by day and you can’t worry about tomorrow. I forget that a lot and I feel like other people do too. It’s a good reminder.

5. “Like My Mother Does” (Nathan Chapman, Liz Rose and Nikki Williams)

“’Like My Mother Does’ is my first single and it means a lot to me because my mama puts up with my stuff when nobody else will. My mama can handle me when no one else can and she knows how to make me feel better and lift me up. I’m lucky to have her, and to have a song about her makes me feel happy to be able to do that for her.

When we argue now, I’ll sing, ‘Like My Mother Does,’ and she laughs. She doesn’t want to laugh, but she does. So this song is my way of getting out of trouble now!”

6. “She’s A Wildflower” (Hillary Lindsey, Steven McEwan and Gordie Sampson)

“I think the title itself explains why I enjoy this song. I’m definitely a wildflower and I feel that there are tons of girls out there that are wildflowers. It talks about this girl who views herself as not all that. She thinks that she is not good enough. She has a crush on this boy, but she thinks she is invisible to him, so she never says anything.

“As a teenage girl, you are your own worst critic. You think other people are putting you down, but really it’s you putting yourself down. You are the one who thinks you don’t look good in a certain outfit or that your hair isn’t fixed perfectly. You might think a guy doesn’t like you because of this or that. But, really deep down we are too shy to approach the people and ask them. That is how we are built. I am one of the most open people in the world, but I wasn’t like that until a few years ago. I know how it feels to feel like you aren’t good enough. In elementary school, I was a lot different.

“When I first heard the song, it made me want to cry because I remember being the freckled-face little girl with a big gap in her teeth. The boys all liked this other girl in elementary school, and no one liked me. I was the one who wanted to throw the football with them and play outside. The older I got, I realized that guys like that, but they just don’t want to admit it. The song represents how girls always put themselves down when they are really wildflowers and they need to bloom.”

7. “I’m Not One Of Them” (Sarah Johns, Tom Shapiro and Tony Martin)

“This song takes the boy who thinks he is ‘the stuff’ and throws him under the bus. It tells him he’s not that great. There are lots of guys out there who think they are just awesome and they hurt girls’ feelings and make them feel like they’re not good enough for them. This song is a good representation of that girl finally saying, ‘Listen pal, you aren’t good enough for me.’ It’s a mid-tempo that has really awesome instrumentation on it. It’s a really fun song.”

8. “The Locket” (Mallary Hope)

“’The Locket’ will make you cry every time you hear it. The storyline reminds me of The Notebook. It has this beautiful story. You don’t know until the end of the song who is telling the story, but it’s a granddaughter talking to her grandmother. She is talking about all of these memories her Grandmother told her throughout her life. The Grandmother has Alzheimer’s and she is starting to forget things. The Granddaughter is reading out of her diary to her the things that have happened to her throughout her life. It’s a beautiful story.

“I cried like a baby the first time I heard it; I still cry every time I hear it. It’s got one of the most beautiful melodies I’ve ever heard, just the arrangement of the song. The words are so powerful. It’s the type of song that is super simple but it really touches your heart. You feel like you are part of the story, even though you are not.

9. “Eighteen Inches” (Kelley Lovelace, Ashley Gorley and Carrie Underwood)

“ ‘Eighteen Inches’ was co-written by Carrie Underwood and that really stood out to me because I look up to her so much. It’s cool to have the opportunity to record a song she wrote. When I listened to it, I thought it had one of the most incredible stories I’ve ever heard in a song. I feel like there are a lot of people out there who will be able to relate to the words of this song, even if what happens in the song didn’t exactly happen to them. I really, really love the song. It’s well written and has beautiful melodies.

“This young girl decides she’s going to run away with her boyfriend. The chorus talks about how when you are young and in love, you do things that aren’t always seen to be the smartest move. I think that is so true! The 18 inches represents the distance it is from your head to your heart. They end up scraping by and get married. The song talks about them wanting a child but yet they are just kids themselves. They do have a baby and it makes them grow up and they thank God for the 18 inches, which is also how long their baby was. It is just an incredible song.”

10. “One Of Those Boys” (Anthony Smith, Marla Cannon and Ben Carver)

“I really like this one because it describes this great guy. I am singing about a boy that in my eyes would be perfect. He has all of these flaws that make me love him. It says he’s gotta love his mama, shake my daddy’s hand and like going to church on Sunday morning. I can relate. I would say that’s some pretty crucial stuff in a guy.

“It was the last song that I got for the whole album and I fell in love with it. I said, ‘We have to do this one.’

11. “Funny Thing About Love” (Lauren Alaina, Luke Laird and Brett James)

“I wrote this song with Brett James and Luke Laird. We had a great connection and I’m really fortunate that I got to write with them. We sat down and I talked about how every time I like a boy, he doesn’t like me. Then when I don’t like him anymore, all he is doing is blowing up my cell phone and calling me all the time and driving me nuts. I’m thinking, ‘You didn’t like me when I liked you. “In love, sometimes the timing is never right, and that is basically what the songs says. It talks about how love confuses you and makes you all crazy inside. I love it.”

12. “Dirt Road Prayer” (Nicolle Galyon and April Geesbreght)

“This song is basically a young girl’s prayer to God, and I think it has a great message. She’s praying for her family members and for God to tell her where to take her life. The chorus talks about how she has a place where she always goes to pray when she is in trouble or is confused. It talks about how much of her life has changed, but that it’s good to know her place will always be there, and that is always something that she will have. I really relate to this song a lot because my own life has completely changed and sometimes I just need to pray; praying makes me feel better.”

October 8th Scotty Will Sing National Anthem for Wolfpack

On October 8th Scotty will sing the National Anthem for the Wolfpack football team!

Clear As Day Now on ITUNES

You can NOW Pre-Order your copy of Scotty's Clear As Day on iTunes

Article:Scotty in His Own Words TRACK by Track on Clear As Day

http://www.roughstock.com/blog/scotty-mccr...-day-cut-by-cut

Scotty McCreery "Clear As Day" Cut-By-Cut
By: Roughstock Staff
Last Updated: September 20, 2011 9:09 AMShare14
Set to be released on October 4, 2011, Scotty McCreery's debut album Clear As Day now has a song-by-song available for it and we thought we'd share it with all of the Scotty fans out there looking to know more about the album from the American Idol season 10 winner himself.

1. “Out Of Summertime” (Jonathan Singleton and Tim Nichols)

“’Out Of Summertime’ was one of the three potential singles that I heard when I was still on Idol in the Top Three. It’s a really fun song. It’s about a summertime fair and it’s a teenage love kind of thing. They could have had something, but they ran out of summertime. It’s almost like the movie Grease with Danny and Sandy.”

2. “I Love You This Big” (Ronnie Jackson, Brett James, Ester Dean and Jay Smith)

“’I Love You This Big’ was another one of the singles we heard on Idol and it became my first Top 15 country single. It has a great feel to it. It was perfect for the Idol moment onstage because it could relate to my family or it could relate to my fans out there who got me through the whole Idol journey. We thought it would do pretty good at country radio too and we’d give it a shot, and it did just that.”

“It will always be special to me because it’s my first song. Once I started singing it in front of crowds, it took on a new life. I would look up and their arms would be spread open wide when I’d sing ‘I Love You This Big.’ It was just a cool thing to see. It always puts a grin on my face when I look out there and see their arms open wide and see a husband and wife looking at each other with their arms opened wide.”

3. “Clear As Day” (Phil O’Donnell, Casey Beathard and Adam Wheeler)

“This one is one of my favorites on the album. It’s got a great feel to it and a great message too. It’s relatable for me, with the after-football game kind of thing in the parking lot, and then the after-football-game parties at Cook Out Restaurant. We sit on the back of the trucks, having fun. Of course, the song takes a twist at the end and gets really serious, talking about how the girl never made it home because of the fog and pouring rain.

“‘Clear As Day’ felt like the perfect title for the album. It’s not too fancy, but it got the point across: Scotty McCreery: Clear As Day. I like the sound of it and I thought it fit perfectly with what we were trying to accomplish with the album.”

4. “The Trouble With Girls” (Phillip White and Chris Tompkins)

“I told my mom, ‘If you were at home doing dishes, this is the kind of song that makes you stop what you are doing and listen to it.’ It has a haunting melody. After I listened to the demo once, I found myself singing it in the room and going out to dinner and humming it to myself there. When you hear that kind of song and you can’t help but keep singing it, you know you’ve got a good one.

“On Twitter, when I said my new single coming out tomorrow is ‘The Trouble With Girls,’ all the girls were like, ‘What do you mean, the trouble with girls? We aren’t trouble.’ But when you hear it, it’s really a sweet song that talks about all of the great things about girls, like how pretty they are and how they have wonderful smiles. It’s talks about things girls like to hear.

“I told my sister the song title, and she said, ‘The trouble with girls?’ I said, ‘Just listen to it.’ When the song finished, she said how sweet it was and how perfect a song it was for me to sing. She said girls will relate to it because they would love to have guys say some of that stuff to them.”

5. “Water Tower Town” (Cole Swindell, Lynn Hutton and Tammi Kidd)

“’Water Tower Town’ is my Garner song on the album, my hometown song. It reminds me of Garner, which has a big water tower right across from the baseball fields where I grew up playing ball. It has a lot of elements in there that remind me of Garner. The first lyric in the chorus is, ‘Friday night football is king,’ and that is true in Garner. Everybody stops what they’re doing in Garner to go to the game. It’s been tough on me missing the games being out here on the road, but I will be back for a few. The song says, ‘Sweet tea goes good with anything,’ and that is is all we drink back home. All of the lyrics really relate to my hometown.”

6. “Walk In The Country” (Vernon Rust and Keith Urban)

“This is the song that Keith Urban pitched my way. It was on his first album when he was in a band called The Ranch. It was their big single and did pretty well for them. He thought it would be really cool for me to cut it, and when I heard it, it was a lock. It has a cool message and feel. It’s just a cool song. I can picture myself rocking out to in the car driving somewhere.”

7. “Better Than That” (Chris Destefano, Jess Cates and Craig Wiseman)

“It’s a fun one, a nice up-tempo with a dancing feel. It has a cool little beat. It talks about all the great things that happen in life -- first kiss, first crush, first time I saw the ocean -- and your love is better than that. It’s a cool way of saying I love you and not just in a clichéd way.”

8. “Write My Number On Your Hand” (Jeremy Stover, Jamie Paulin and Thomas Rhett Akins)

“This was another fun one. This one has a little Hawaiian feel to it, with a ukulele. When I hear this song, I have a bunch of pictures going through my mind, like jumping in the lake, stuff I grew up doing. The Hawaiian feel and fun nature is the reason I cut it. It’s about a girl and a guy and they are at the lake. They are about to leave and he says, ‘Write my number on your hand so I can call you up.’ At the end, it takes a twist. She says,‘ If you want to see me, write my number on your hand.’ It has all of the country things in it, like farmer’s tans and Coca-Cola.”

9. “Dirty Dishes” (Michael Dulaney, Neil Thrasher and Tony Martin)

“This passed the Mama crying test. We would get a bunch of songs in and we would all sit down and listen to them as a family. If Mama heard it and she started crying, I would tell Universal, ‘It passed the Mama crying test so it must be a good one.’ It’s about a family sitting down to dinner and Mama sits down and she prays and thanks the Lord for things in life that would normally annoy somebody, like slamming doors, dirty dishes and loud kids. But it shows that you should be grateful in life and not take things for granted. It says slamming doors means you live in a warm and loving home and noisy kids just mean they are happy kids. It’s a cool and different way of looking at life and reminds you not to take life for granted and to be thankful for things that might otherwise bother you.”

10. “You Make That Look Good” (Rhett Akins and Lee Thomas Miller)

“This was the rocking song we have on the album. This was another fun one for me. It’s just about a country boy. It talks about how I might have a dirty truck, but when you are sitting there beside me, you make it look good. At the end it says, I never thought of getting settled down and having a serious relationship, but you make that look good. It talks about some things in life that had never looked too good to this dude, but now that he is with her, she makes them look good and makes him want to do them.”

11. “Back On The Ground” (Neil Thrasher, Casey Beathard and Tony Martin)

“This one speaks to me as far as staying grounded. When I was younger, everybody said, “I can’t wait to get out of my hometown and go to college 500 miles away so I don’t have to see anybody again.’ It talks about getting back home and chatting with Mama and how you would do anything to get back home. It’s a fun song about staying grounded and not forgetting where you came from, and no matter where you go, it all comes back around."

“I always loved my hometown, but of course, everybody grows up saying they can’t wait to get out of there and go experience life outside of the little bubble they’ve been in. Now that I have been away for so long and seen what life is like out here, I can’t wait to get back and see family and friends that I have missed for so long. What I would give to take another English test in class! Like the song says, I can’t wait to get my feet back on the ground in Garner, N.C.”

12. “That Old King James” (Phillip White and Mark Nesler)

“This was another song that passed the Mama crying test. It’s cool for me because it reminds me of my both of my granddaddys. They both fought in the war. It talks about a Bible being passed down from generations upon generations, from the granddaddy to the mom and then the mom to the kids. It means a lot to me. It reminded me of my family and how I grew up in church and reading the old King James Bible. It speaks wonders about what that book can do for somebody and how important it is to pass it down from generation to generation.”

From AMAZON:Bio on Scotty

Clear As Day is the perfect title for Scotty McCreery’s debut country album because this impressive collection of songs clearly and vividly captures who Scotty is as an artist and a young man.
America fell in love with Scotty in 2011 when he appeared on American Idol and immediately made a name for himself with his deep and undeniably country voice, strong sense of self, small-town roots, and unwavering integrity and conviction. In May, he won Season Ten of American Idol when a record-breaking 122.4 million votes were cast for the finale and nearly 39 million people tuned in to see the winner’s name announced.

The album’s debut single, “I Love You This Big,” became a Top 15 hit and enjoyed the highest-charting debut for a new artist since at least 1984, while the video for the song hit No. 1 in just a week after its release. He recorded his debut album while starring in the American Idols Live! Tour, which Pollstar ranked as one of the nation’s Top 15 tours.

Scotty is pleased that he was able to accomplish the goals he had set for his debut album. “I wanted to make sure people could hear me through the songs they were listening to,” he says. “On American Idol, I always told them, ‘What you see is what you get. Scotty on the show is Scotty off the show. I’m the same guy onstage and offstage.’

“On this album, I wanted them to make sure they really got who I am, how I grew up in Garner, N.C., and what I am all about,” he says. “It was also really important to me to keep some of the traditional elements of country music in it, to remember where country came from, and I think we did that. I hope that the people who listen to this record will see that and appreciate it and really see exactly who I am.”

And who he is, says the album’s producer, Mark Bright, is an amazing singer with tremendous vocal control and depth. “His voice is shockingly great,” he says. “Everybody knows Scotty has a deep voice, but what a lot of people don’t know is that he has a pretty high range. His listeners will get to hear the nuances, emotions
and actual range of his voice.”

While recording the album, Scotty was driven by the desire to blend the best of both musical worlds – classic and contemporary – to create a fresh sound that is simultaneously new and timeless. “It’s got some true country songs that have a contemporary feel, like ‘The Trouble With Girls,’” he says. “But there are some songs, like ‘Clear As Day’ or ‘That Old King James,’ that have that old country feel to it, that country that I grew up idolizing and listening to, like Hank Williams and Conway Twitty and Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash. I think this album has a good mix.”

Clear As Day explores the big philosophies and small details that define life in America, especially the small towns that can sometimes feel confining to teens with a powerful wanderlust for places unseen. With songs such as “Out of Summertime,” “Write My Number On Your Hand” and “You Make That Look Good,” the album depicts the intoxicating excitement of the coming-of-age years, such as the anticipation of Friday nights, the intrigue of meeting a pretty girl and the thrill of exchanging class rings.

The album is a collection of appealing songs with universal themes, whether they’re exploring topics such as girls, family dinners or the Bible. “I chose these songs because they mean a lot to me, but I think everybody can also relate to them,” Scotty says.

For instance, “Water Tower Town” talks about working hard and living right in a place where word travels fast and wheels turn slow. The chorus says, “Friday night football is king/ Sweet tea goes good with anything/ Nobody eats ‘til you say amen/ And everybody knows your mom and them/ You can see who loves who for miles around/ In a water tower town.” Says Scotty, “It reminds me so much of my hometown, where growing up meant Friday night football games,” he says. “Everything in that song screams my hometown of Garner.”

The vivid title track is a cautionary tale about the dangers of teenage driving.

“The town next to Garner, N.C., had a lot of teenage driving deaths in the last few years, and ‘Clear As Day’ talks about that in a powerful way,” he says. “It has a great message and a great feel, and I could really relate to it. It tells the story of a guy waiting on his girl after a Friday night football game and they go to a party and it’s raining. After the party, he walks her to his brother’s Silverado and she says she’ll call him the next day, but it’s a call she never got to make.”

The album’s second single, “The Trouble With Girls,” describes the knee-buckling power women have over men as, “they bat those eyes/they steal you with hello/ they kill you with goodbye.” “It’s a really sweet song that talks about all of the great things about girls, like how pretty they are and how they have wonderful smiles,” he says. “It talks about things girls like to hear.”

Scotty decided to record “Dirty Dishes’ in part because it passed what he calls “the Mama crying test.” “She was crying when she heard it,” he says of his mother. “It talks about a mom and a family sitting down at a table eating dinner. The mother sits down for prayer and starts saying thanks for noisy children and slamming doors, because slamming doors means they live in a good home and noisy kids mean happy kids. The mother has a cool way of looking at things.”

Scotty developed his unique way of looking at things while growing up with older sister Ashley in a musical household in Garner, N.C. By age 3, he was singing “The Muffin Man” to anyone who would listen, and a few years later he was repeating the words of those around him in a song. His father, a senior manufacturing systems analyst, and his mother, a real estate agent and teacher, sang in the church choir, as did their children.

His grandmother gave Scotty a book on Elvis Presley when he was in pre-school, so Scotty began walking and talking like The King. His mother listened to artists such as Conway Twitty while driving, and Scotty quickly fell in love with those sounds. He still vividly remembers his first country concert, a show featuring George Strait, Reba McEntire and Lee Ann Womack.

He began guitar lessons at age 10 and was so hooked that he started sleeping with the instrument. “I would wake up and have my guitar and my friends would be sleeping,” he says. “They would give me a look and I’d be like, ‘All right,’ and put the guitar down so they could go back to sleep. But they were really accepting of it. They would say, ‘Learn this song,’ and I would play it for them. When we became teenagers, we would drive around listening to ‘Your Cheating Heart’ and ‘Okie From Muskogee.’”

Scotty sang in his school choirs since elementary school, including the high school group that travels nationally and consistently wins competitions. His voice dropped dramatically when he was about 13. “I didn’t notice a difference, but my mom said it fell off a cliff,” he says. “There was no real cracking.”
He performed locally at Christmas events and at Bullfeathers Restaurant. His rendition of label mate Jamey Johnson’s hit “In Color” helped him win Clayton Idol and gave him the confidence to perform more frequently in public.

His parents, as well as his chorus teacher, believe something else gave Scotty the confidence to perform in public – pitching baseball. Following in the footsteps of his father, who was also a baseball pitcher, Scotty learned to pitch at an early age. “When you are a pitcher, all eyes are on you,” says his mother, Judy. “You have to be focused and able to handle pressure.” It turns out that Scotty is as pitch-perfect on the mound as he is onstage: in his last varsity high school game, he pitched a complete shut-out and struck out nine batters.

He continued that winning streak on the stage of American Idol, where he became the youngest male winner and the only country male winner in the show’s history. He’s now eager to take the next step of his country music career with the release of his debut album, which comes the same week as his 18th birthday. But it turns out that he’s already received the best birthday present possible: the support of people across the nation who’ve made it clear as day that they love both the music and the young man.

“I am so grateful to all of the fans out there because we’ve been on this journey together,” he says. “They are the reason I am where I am; they voted me through. Hopefully with this album we can continue this journey and see where it takes us.

“Performing on tour has really taught me a lot,” he says. “We have different crowds and different responses that always keep it fresh. It’s showing me that this is what I want to do forever. I thrive on this and I’m really enjoying it. Hopefully I can do this for the rest of my life.”

AMAZON

Article:Scotty McCreery: "Clear As Day" songs had to Pass Momma's Crying Test

Scotty McCreery had a reliable barometer to determine if a song was good enough to make his new ‘Clear as Day’ album: his mom. In an interview with Dan Van Media, the ‘American Idol’ winner says Judy McCreery was instrumental in determining which of the more emotional tracks made the cut.

“Mama cried on a couple of them so we told all the guys to label them,” McCreery explains. “When they sent me songs and demos I would email them back and say, ‘Well, it passed the Mama crying test so it must be a good one.’”
“Hopefully it will have the same effect on you guys out there,” he says. He adds that the 12 songs are a good mix of “rockin’ songs where they will be loud and upbeat and then some intimate songs … some of them will make you cry.”

Fans will find out if Mama truly does know best when ‘Clear as Day’ hits stores on October 4. Last week, the 17-year-old revealed the complete track listing of the album and talked about a number of the new songs in an interview with Taste of Country.

Taste of Country

Scotty Being Scotty

Scotty got to go back to school this week and went to a soccer game for Garner High



Scotty McCreery, Martina McBride Augusta Guitar Pull

Kicks 99s 13th annual Guitar Pull is bringing some popular country talent to James Brown Arena on Nov. 15, including American Idol winner Scotty McCreery and Martina McBride.

The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Other acts performing are Gary Allan, Little Big Town, Jerrod Niemann and Corey Smith.

Tickets are on sale Saturday only at the Champion’s Box Office at James Brown Arena, starting at 10 a.m., according to a release.

Tickets will be $30 with a four-ticket purchase limit. Purchasers must be at least 16 years old with a photo ID. For more information, call James Brown Arena at (706) 722-3521 or Beasley Broadcasting at (706) 396-7000.

Tickets will also be given away at Kicks 99 Guitar Pull ticket stops. Visit http://www.kicks99.com/ for a complete list of ticket stop locations.

From 5 to 6 p.m. today only, Boots, Bridles and Britches in Grovetown and Aiken will each give away one five pack of tickets.

Presented by Boots, Bridles and Britches, Guitar Pull raises funds for the Million Pennies for Kids Campaign, an organization that works with United Way.

Source

Clear As Day Track by Track Review

Here is a track by track review of Scotty's album!

Even for a devoted Idol fan like me, prior to the start of Season 10, things didn’t look good for TV’s #1 show. But, thanks to a new panel of judges, a new Executive Producer, a new mentor, and most importantly, a new pool of talent, Idol exceeded expectations for many this past year. With a new record label working with this year’s talent, the hope was that there would be a renewed sense of excitement and anticipation for worthwhile products. After having the pleasure of listening to advance copies of Scotty McCreery’s and Lauren Alaina’s albums, it is my belief that order has been restored and the finalists you fell in love with on the show are ready to take over the charts with their debut albums.

Below, I give my thoughts on each of the tracks from Scotty’s album, Clear As Day, which is due out on October 4, and can be pre-ordered now at www.scottymccreery-official.com.

Many of the greatest country songs are those that vividly tell stories, and Scotty’s title track, “Clear As Day,” certainly fits this description. My first thought was for the fans that have missed his lower register, they are in for a great treat. As the song progressed, it became clear (as day) that the words readily paint a picture for listeners. It nearly demands its own music video! Without spoiling the song, I will say the general idea of this track is that he’s taken a moment to himself to reflect on past memories, and “every detail is still in place.” This relatively slow tempo tune has a beautiful chorus and most of the verses put a smile on your face. But watch out for the final thirty seconds of the song, the ending surprised me.

“Water Tower Town” is an up tempo track that instantly had me dancing in my chair. I can testify to the fact that this song accurately captures the essence of life in a small town. It’s equipped with references to Friday night football, sweat tea and fireflies. There is no doubt in my mind that this song is perfect for Scotty. It’s very believable and relatable, even for the city folk. And, I would venture to say that out of all the tracks on the Idol champ’s album, this could be the best fit for radio.

I like the arrangement of “Walk In The Country” because it has a modern flare to it, characteristic of many Keith Urban co-writes. The song is about getting away from the TV and venturing outside to enjoy what nature has to offer. It’s about appreciating sunsets and the like. My only criticism is that the song doesn’t really develop all that much; therefore, it lacks depth and variation. But, not every song can be my favorite I suppose.

“Better Than That” starts off with Scotty recalling some of the firsts in his life, such as the first time he saw the ocean and the first time he drove a Chevy. Then he professes that the love of his sweetheart is “better, better, better than that.” I have to admit, this song is very cute and I think the young girls will take a liking to it. It is most certainly the most pop-sounding track on the album.

I was probably most excited to hear “Write My Number On Your Hand” before receiving the album, and it didn’t disappoint. Is that a ukulele in the intro? Why yes it is! This track is light with a very chill vibe to it. It has one of those choruses that you can instantly remember and sing along to. I challenge you to not have the desire to bop your head back and forth. This song just has an amazing ability to instantly put you in a good mood. Oh, and the little “uhhhhh huh” at the end is perfect.

“Dirty Dishes” is an interesting ballad. The song is basically about a mother giving thanks for things we might normally write off as irritating, like noisy children, and you guessed it, dirty dishes. It has a really fantastic message about appreciation and brings a unique perspective to today’s world. I’m still waiting for the tearjerker ballad, but this one definitely has lots of sentimental value. For a record which is undeniably all country, the track listing does provide a very good amount of variation as far as what each song is about, which I appreciate.

“You Make That Look Good” sounds like the perfect summer jam to me. Filled with mud covered 4x4’s, flip flops and pretty girls, it is a classic country hit. The piano gives it a cool honky tonk feel. Although one could say it lacks a distinguishing quality, the song just feels right. It feels like it belongs on every country record.

“Back On The Ground” is a touching song which captures the relationship between a son and his mom. It’s about how teenagers want to distance themselves from their parents, only to be drawn back close to them later in life. “Ain’t it funny how it all comes back around,” Scotty admits. I must say, I’m not a big country fan by any means but what I love so much about the genre, and many of the songs on this album, is the messages the tracks contain. It’s not just about having a catchy beat. Scotty’s music actually says something about him as a mature young man and I would say this record allows listeners to grow closer to him because it is so relatable. I’m also a sucker for songs that end as they begin, and this song does just that.

I’m glad to see Scotty got a song strongly rooted in faith on his album with “That Old King James.” There is no doubt he stayed true to himself throughout the Idol journey and in the recording process that followed, after all there is a “yes ma’am” in this song! The track itself is about a boy getting a Bible at the age of eight and relying on it to get him through the struggles of life. It gets passed down through the family, showing signs of weathering as it moves from generation to generation. References to “yellow lines of teardrop stains”, war and cancer make the song very compelling. The track inherently possesses a sense of finality and I think it’s the perfect way to the end Scotty’s debut solo project.

My review wouldn’t be complete without brief mentions of the three tracks not discussed up until this point. All three have been heard by many of his fans and there has been much written about them, but I will add some quick comments. Opening the album, “Out Of Summertime” truly is the perfect country fair song and it has a very youthful vibe, which complements the rest of the album quite nicely. “I Love You This Big” is, in my mind, a gift from above for him. Seeing Scotty perform it live solidifies my belief that it was the perfect way to introduce radio listeners to this new country artist and I think the success of this first single supports that. I love “The Trouble With Girls” as a song, but if I’m being completely honest, I don’t feel like it was a good match for Scotty. I just don’t think the song represents him accurately. But whatever this song lacks for me, the rest of the album easily makes up for. Overall, this is an album that truly reflects Scotty’s character and an album that I feel will do quite well. I cannot recommend enough that you purchase Clear As Day when it is released on October 4.

AINOW

"The Trouble With Girls" Review

From:  keepinitcountryblog.com

As Johnny Cash would say, Scotty McCreery is walking the line. While he’s not staying on the straight and narrow for a lover, he is playing a very precarious balancing act between old school country and a contemporary sound. His latest single, “The Trouble with Girls,” continues to put him on a middle of the road trajectory, smartly attracting both the tweens and their mothers. “Trouble” is about the never-ending confusion (and attraction) guys have when it comes to girls and shows McCreery in the same sweet, safe light as his first single, “I Love You This Big.”

Lyrically, the song is much less mature than “Big,” a good thing since McCreery’s only seventeen so it might be a bit soon to be talking about a lifelong love. The lyrics here are also more playful, particularly the hook

“The trouble with girls is nobody loves trouble as much as me” and the music is less smaltzy with memorable piano and strings parts.

McCreery’s deep voice, unusual on radio today, will continue to make girls swoon and, so long as he stays more Tim McGraw than Justin Guarini, he’ll be able to enjoy a long career to come. McCreery’s first album, Clear as Day, comes out on October 4.

Zimbio

Scotty Nominated for "Icon of Tomorrow" Award by J-14

J-14’s Teen Icon Awards honors the hottest teen stars, movies, TV shows, music, and web stars of the moment as voted on by J-14 Magazine readers. For four days over Labor Day weekend, starting Friday, September 2, five of the categories were announced exclusively on j14.com each day. Readers then commented and suggested their favorites in every category.

The J-14 editors read through the comments and are now announcing the nominees based on the readers’ feedback as well as those who most capture the essence of an icon in the particular category. American Idol’s own Scotty McCreery is nominated in the category of Icon of Tomorrow.

Voting ends at 12 p.m. ET on Monday, September 26. To vote, visit j-14.com/teeniconawards.
The award winners will then be announced in the December issue of J-14 Magazine, on stands November 7, 2011.

Scotty's debut album, Clear As Day, will drop on October 4.

Official Track Listing for Wildflower

1)Georgia Peaches-Blair Daly, Mallary Hope, Rachel Proctor
2)Growing Her Wings-Nicolle Ann Gaylon, Nicolle Witt
3)Tupelo-Hilary Lindsey, Steve McEwan, Gordie Sampson
4)The Middle-Zac Maloy, Rachel Proctor,David Hodges
5)Like My Mother Does-Nathan Chapman,Liz Rose, Nikki Williams
6)She's A Wildflower-Hilary Lindsey, Steve McEwan, Gordie Sampson
7)I'm Not One of Them-Tom Shaprio, Sarah Johns, Anthony Martin
8)The Locket-Mallary Hope
9)Eighteen Inches-Ashley Gorley,Kelly Lovelace,Carrie Underwood
10)One of Those Boys-Jacob Lyda,Bill Shore,David Wills
11)The The Funny Thing About Love-Lauren Alaina, Brett James,Luke Laird
12)Dirt Road Prayer-A.Geesbreght,Nicolle Gaylon

Lauren in New Orleans Tonight

Apparently Lauren is in New Orleans tonight?

She tweeted this:

Just landed in New Orleans (: can't wait for the event tonight!

Lauren Alaina Video Blog

Must Have List from Taste of Country

Scotty comes in at No.6 on the Must Have List:

 

 

The 'American Idol' winner's second single throws a wink to his zealous female fanbase. Although McCreery's debut album isn't in stores until early October, the most committed of his followers already know the words to at least four of his songs, as he's been quite the chatty Kathy lately. Expect to see McCreery a little higher up on October's list of must haves, and expect to see him on just about every television and radio show imaginable.

Taste of Country

Article: Behind the Tune "The Trouble With Girls"

Chris Tompkins is an award-winning songwriter whose lengthy list of credits include tunes recorded by Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Jimmy Buffett and Bucky Covington, among others. Earlier this summer, the Alabama native had his eye on one project he specifically wanted to write for -- 'American Idol' winner Scotty McCreery's upcoming debut CD, 'Clear as Day.' Chris ended up landing a song on the album -- news made even sweeter with its release to country radio as the 17-year-old's second single. The Boot sat down with Chris to find out how he wrote 'The Trouble With Girls' and who gets the real credit for the tune's rapid success.

My co-writer, Phillip White, and I have known each other for a long time. He's from my hometown in Alabama. We ran into each other this summer and got together to write. I usually always write at my studio at [publishing company] Big Loud Shirt, so I can use my Pro Tools, but Phillip proposed that we do it at Universal. I thought, "That's a good idea. It will be old-school -- two writers with a guitar and a piano -- with no toys to play with and interrupt the creative process." It was a good change from my everyday norm.

The song actually started with Phillip having the title, 'The Trouble With Girls,' and the first verse, and the spin at the end of the chorus. I sat down at the grand piano and worked out the melody for the verse. At that point, we didn't really have a chorus, and it felt like we needed to get somewhere big, musically, very quickly. Then out of nowhere, I started singing the line, "they smile that smile," and a second later Phillip chimed in with "bat those eyes," and after that we knew we were on to something.

Phillip stayed on me to go over to my spot to do a work tape. I feel like I owe a lot to Phillip for making me get off my lazy butt to demo it quickly. Phillip's a great guy and a great songwriter and friend. He knows how to reach in and pinch off a piece of your heart, and we've always been a good pairing.

The best thing about getting this cut -- and the same thing happened before Carrie cut 'Before He Cheats' -- I knew that if I were lucky enough to get an 'American Idol' cut, this was an album I'd love to be on. I always thought Scotty was a frontrunner and I'm proud to be a part of this.

The Boot

Lauren Visits Top 20 Friday

This Friday(9/16)  Lauren will appear on the CMT Top 20 Countdown to chat with Evan Farmer about her video for "Like My Mother Does" and her debut album Wildflower!

TONIGHT she will be on CMT Radio with Cody Alan check codyalan.com for details on where you can listen in live!

From CMT Offstage

(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything that's happening with country music artists behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.)

What a dichotomous life he's living, that Scotty McCreery. One day he's releasing the track list for his upcoming debut album, the next day he's heading back into his North Carolina high school to hit the books. "We get a four-day break here before the Philippines, so I'm gonna be heading back and catching up on the books and going back to the high school and getting behind the desk," he said in a recent radio interview about his break from the Idols Live tour. "I'm telling you, all the kids complain about school, but what I'd give to just go take one more test." The grass is always greener, right? But meanwhile, once those tests and papers and bibliographies are behind him, McCreery's album, Clear as Day, will come out.

 "And if the list of songwriters on it is any indication, it is going to be one of the best country albums of the year. Nashville's finest, who have each written one of my favorite songs, contributed new material to McCreery's project. Guys like Tim Nichols ("I'll Think of a Reason Later"), Casey Beathard ("The Boys of Fall"), Chris Tompkins ("Before He Cheats"), Craig Wiseman ("The Good Stuff"), Neil Thrasher ("I Melt)"Rhett Atkins ("Put a Girl in It") and more. I can't wait to hear what they've done for McCreery."

Lauren Chats About Friends,Movies and MORE

Tell us one thing the general public doesn't know about you:I'm addicted to my phone and I tend to misplace it at least 5 times a day.  Other people are always finding it in random places!

Describe your daily routine:
Right now, I am on tour so a typical day is like this: Wake up, eat a banana, go to the gym, do school work, shower and head to the venue. I then have press, meet & greets, hair & make-up and then SHOW TIME!  I do after-show meet & greets and then usually collapse in my bunk on the way to the next city.

If you had to choose another career, what would you be?
I would be a special ed teacher or a pediatrician.

Do you screen your calls? Whose do you always answer?
If I am free, I always answer calls from my family, my best friend and my manager!

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
Laying on my bed (at home) playing with my dogs and having a big family cook out.

Who was your first kiss? Was it any good?

My first kiss was in 7th grade.  It grossed me out, I kind of freaked out!

What super power would you like to have?
I would like to be able fly or be invisible

Tell us about one of your most embarrassing moments:
When I was 3 years old, I pointed out  that my Dad's boss had a bad tooth and embarrassed my whole family.

What's your guilty pleasure?
General Hospital

What are your can't-miss TV shows?
I don't really get to keep up with TV much these days so unfortunately I miss a lot!

Movies that make you cry?
The Notebook, The Titanic and I recently saw The Help and cried my eyes out.

Is there another celebrity you've always wanted to meet and haven't yet?
Taylor Swift

Is there a celebrity that you have met and been starstruck by?
I was slightly starstruck by Justin Bieber!  I mean he is cute!

What is your favorite book?
"Where the Red Fern grows"

What's a surprising activity you do in your free time?
I actually enjoy doing school work.  No lie!

What goes in your carry-on bag on the plane?
My phone, my make-up and my blanket.

What's your biggest indulgence?
Clothes and shoes!  I am a teenaged girl!

What's your worst habit?
Procrastinating. I can't believe I am getting this done - LOL!

What's your favorite alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink?
I like strawberry smoothies.

Who is your best friend and why?
My best friend is Maria, she understands me and listens when I need someone to talk to.  She also tells me when I am being a pain!

Who is your celebrity crush?
A close race between Kenny Wormald ("Footloose") and Hunter Hayes.

Who do you text the most?
My best friend.

What do your friends make fun of you for?
Being famous!

What is your favorite song to sing in the car?
"Dude Looks Like a Lady" by Aerosmith

What food can you not resist?
Mashed potatoes.

What is your deepest fear?
Stairs... my fans know why

Source

On October 9th Lauren will be doing an acoustic performance at the Bosom Buddy Brunch. Alaina will be joining Laurie DeYoung. This event will benefit Maryland's chapter of Susan G.Komen for the Cure.

Date: Sunday October 9, 2011
Time: Noon - 3pm
Location:
      Turf Valley Resort
      2700 Turf Valley Road
      Ellicott City, Maryland 21042
Phone: 410-465-1500Prices: $65 +tax

To purchase tickets go to www.turfvalley.com (click here)

Ticket includes:
• Fabulous Lunch Buffet• Acoustic performance by Lauren Aliana• Door Prizes and more!
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Susan G Komen for the Cure.
Your reservation is your confirmed tickets - This event sells out quickly every year!!!

Donate to Our Daily Bread Today. Click here


Source

Back To School for Scotty

Earlier this morning Scotty posted this photo on his Twitter. "yesterday was great! just like Id never left,haha.starting day 2 back at shcool n looking out at the football field"

Rquesting Scotty on Your LOCAL RADIO STATION-ONLY

Edit:This may or may not be legit but I felt as other people do who support Scotty and want to give Scotty a chance that this should be posted.

This letter is from Idol Forums:

Dear Scotty fans/street teamers,

We would like to request that you ONLY contact your LOCAL radio stations when requesting Scotty. We know when you are not from our area by your ip address/etc. By launching your attacks and/or campaigns, you are doing nothing but hurting Scotty and his chances of getting airplay by annoying our air staff, managers,etc. Remember, this is our job. You have a job too right? So put yourself in our shoes for a minute please.

Scotty's music will garner airplay by sales, touring, research,buzz, etc. You are doing nothing but wasting your time and energy by launching your full on email, Facebook, etc attacks on our stations. Scotty has record company executives that call radio stations directly, that is their job to get the songs on the radio, not yours.

We appreciate your passion and energy for a new artist, we really do, but you guys/girls are getting out of hand and it will end up hurting Scotty in the end.

We do not hate Scotty by any means so let's put that to bed now but we must say it reflects negative on him when you are sending out mass emails to stations that you do not even listen to or that serve you. In case you didn't know we are licensed to serve our local communities not the world.

Just thought we would let you guys in on some very important information before its too late for the guy you love this BIG!

Take Care,

Radiopeople

Lauren Visits CMT

Yesterday (9/12) Lauren stopped by the CMT studios. She chatted with CMT Insider,Radio, and TOP 20 countdown

This photo was tweeted by twitter.com/FollowCMT

Clear As Day ZinePAK Picture from Wal-Mart.com

Here is what you can expect if you ordered Clear As Day ZinePak



Article from Christian Post

Scotty McCreery Discusses Plans for his God-Given Talent



The born-again Christian country crooner told entertainment website PopCrush that he credits God for his most prized trait - his sense of rhythm.

"You know everybody has that certain thing where God blessed them with something and gives them that special talent whether it’s music or sports or writing or anything," he said. "So, [it is] just one of those things God blessed me with - the rhythm."

This month, McCreery returns to high school in his hometown of Garner, N.C., for his senior year. He told the online news site that he hopes for just a typical year.

"I'm not going to be walking around school with an 'American Idol' tee-shirt on," said McCreery. "I'm going to just be normal, just a normal kid and hopefully things will work out."

Although the reality television show changed his life, McCreery admits he wants to still surround himself with the people he has grown up with, and continue to live the life like he had before "American Idol."


McCreery's first album, "Clear as Day," hits stores on Oct. 4.

McCreery, proud of his Christian faith, has often said that God helps get him through the hardships he faces and that he loves Jesus Christ with all of his heart.

When he was announced as the winner of "American Idol" season 10, McCreery said before a cheering audience, "I've got to thank the Lord first; he got me here."

The pride McCreery takes in his faith was apparent again when the singer kissed his cross after meeting Lady Gaga. The artist also wears his I Am Second bracelet at all times, even while on national television during the competition, where millions of viewers watched his ascent to fame.

On Friday, USA Today reported that McCreery and former "American Idol" competitor Lauren Alaina remain on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. While other "Idols" are scattered throughout Billboard charts, the two acts are the only names to appear on albums.


McCreery will continue to perform on the last leg of the American Idol Live! Tour before returning to Garner for his senior year of high school.

Christian Post

Scotty McCreery: How to Pack a Shoebox

Here is Scotty sharing about how you can get involved with Operation Christmas Child

In Honor of September 11

Last Night of Tour

Sadly tonight is the last US date of the American Idol Live Tour in Rochester,NY. It's been an incredible journey for both Scotty and Lauren and now we close this chapter and see what the future holds for these two incredibly talented kids.

Join me in wishing them the best! Cheers Lauren and Scotty!!!


If y'all would like to share pictures from seeing them live  please just e-mail me at mclainanews@gmail.com. You will GET CREDIT.

Offical Track Listing for Clear As Day

With only 4 weeks to go until Scotty's debut album Clear As Day is released here is the OFFICAL track listing from mjsbigblog.com!



1.Out of Summertime-Tim Nichols and Jonathan Singleton
2.I Love You This Big-Jay Smith, Ronnie Jackson,Esther Jean,Brett James
3.Clear As Day-Phil O' Donnell,Casey Beathard,Adam Wheeler
4.The Trouble With Girls-Chris Thompins,Phillip White
5.Water Tower Town-Cole Swindell,Tammi Kidd,Lynn Hutton
6.Walk In The Country-Keith Urban,Vernon Rust
7.Better Than That-Chris Destefano, Jess Cates, Craigwiseman
8.Write My Number On Your Hand-Rhett Akins,Thomas Rhett Akins
9.Dirty Dishes-Michael Dulaney,Neil Thrasher, Tony Martin
10.You Make That Look Good-Rhett Akins,Lee Thomas Miller
11.Back On The Ground-Neil Thrasher,Casey Beathard,Tony Martin
12.That Old King James-Phillip White,Mark Nesler

MJsBigBlog

Lauren Talks Tour,Boys and More

How are you and the crew celebrating once the American Idol Live! Tour ends next week?
We already had a little party type thing that everyone came to and we all just kind of hung out .. It wasn’t a sad party because it wasn’t the end. I don’t know if we’re having another one or not. I believe we are …[Someone tells her they are] … Yes we are having another one! We’ll probably all be crying at that one. So we just have a little party and all get together and hang out.

What will you miss about touring together all summer?
Well, it’s funny because when we first started on tour I was super sad that I was away from my family and just knowing that I was going to be gone for five months. And then now that we have nine days before we go home — or something like that — I’m sad [again] because I’m going to miss these people. They’re like my family now. We were all talking about it on the bus the other day and we’re all crying after a show. I thought [the tour] was going to take forever and it’s just flown by, literally, I don’t even know how it’s gone.

Well, you guys are clearly having fun, so I’m sure that’s why it’s flown by…
Yeah, I was just at the Boston Red Sox game [Friday] and Pia went with me — we’re best friends. We hung out, and I met a cute guy [Laughs]. I had a really good time.

So … Did you give him your number? 
Um … I asked him for his, yeah. I don’t think he knew who I was! But his friend did — I think his friend did. They were looking at me trying to figure out if it was me or not and they weren’t sure. And then I approached him and told him I thought he was cute, and he asked me if I was from ‘American Idol’ and I said ‘Yes.’ And then we hung out during the game. He’s a really cool guy. He’s from New York.

I noticed when you sing your debut single, ‘Like My Mother Does’ live, and when you sang ‘God Is Great’ with Martina McBride at the CMA Music festival, you deliver the slide technique between some notes, which seems to work really well with your voice. Is that something you discovered on your own, or something introduced to you by your vocal producer?
I don’t even know what it is you’re talking about. [Laughs]. I guess I just do it naturally. People ask me about it all the time, and I’ve never noticed that — I still don’t understand what I do. I don’t do it on purpose, I just do it I guess.

Tell us about that moment when you sang ‘God Is Great’ with Martina McBride at the CMA Music Festival. At one point you even mouthed, “Oh My Gosh.” What was going through your head when you were on stage in front of 70,000 people?
Well, Martina McBride is one of the most respected female vocalists in country music, and to even be able to sing with her in front of 10 people is incredible … It’s says [something] for her to let me do that, and she let me. It was just awesome to know that she would let me do something like that … It made me feel cool. [Laughs]. And then there were so many people there, they were screaming for us and it was just one of the coolest things that’s ever happened to me. It was awesome.

Source

Scotty's Interview with Taste of Country

Ask Scotty McCreery what he misses most about his hometown of Garner, N.C., and you might think you’re talking to a homesick college freshman: sweet tea from Bojangles, high school football games and — yep — even sitting in English class to take a test. The 17-year-old ‘American Idol’ champion may be wrapping up a country-wide tour, and he may be on the cusp of releasing a sure-to-be successful album, but he’s still just small-town Scotty.

“I’m not trying to fake [it] at all on this album,” McCreery tells Taste of Country. “I’ve heard people say, ‘Oh, he’s 17. He hasn’t lived life. He can’t sing country music!’ I’m not trying to fake being old. I’ve never pretended to be somebody I’m not. I’m 17, and that’s me. This album’s gonna relate to that, and hopefully people like it. I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished these last couple months.”
With the excitement of his country debut (‘Clear as Day,’ in stores on October 4) in mind, McCreery chats with Taste of Country about making fans happy, a special album track that he hopes to hear playing on the Garner football field one day, and fitting in with his musical idols while still holding on to his childhood.

Your new single is ‘The Trouble With Girls.’ What are some of the crazy things your female fans have done to get the chance to meet you?
Oh, they’ve been wild. Outside after the show, they’ve been crazy, waiting behind the barricade. Every now and then there’s that certain someone that’ll climb under the barricades or find an opening. Last night, there was somebody that found an opening over a trash can. So she was waiting for me to come by, and she found a little crevice to kind of peep through. I saw her, so I told her hello and signed something for her, took a picture with her. First time I took a picture with a trash can.
They’re crazy, but they just kinda wanna, you know, talk to me and say hello — and I want to talk to them as well. They’re the reason I’m here! They voted me through, so I’ll spend as much time as I can out there.

Before this whole experience, was there anybody that you idolized that much that you could see yourself going to extreme measures to try to meet?
You know, I could never see myself … I couldn’t see myself doing some of the things that I’ve seen that some of these people do. I’m not a huge crier. I don’t think I’d cry over somebody if I met ‘em. I’d love to meet all these guys [that] I grew up idolizing and listening to their music. I’d do anything to meet ‘em, but I don’t think I’d be, you know, tearing down the barricades or nothing. I always told myself: If you want to meet a celebrity, be chill. When I was little I used to say that.

Will you be shooting a music video for the song any time soon?
I’ve heard rumblings about that. I’m not 100% positive. I haven’t talked to management or anybody about it recently. That’s something I’d probably have an answer for in a week or two, but right now I’m not positive. I mean, I think … I see no reason why not to. We probably will, but I’m not 100% positive yet.

Have you been thinking about any video treatment ideas yourself?
Yeah, this one will probably be more of a story. This one, you know, is ‘The Trouble With Girls’ and especially in the bridge part, it kind of has that storyline. I think it’d be a lot more story-like other than like a performance like we did with ‘I Love You This Big.’ But I mean, I don’t know. We’ll get the treatment soon, and the directors will tell me what they’re thinkin’ and we’ll run with it. But in my eyes, it’ll probably be more of a story.

Can you tell us about a song title we haven’t heard about yet, one that’s especially personal to you or that you relate to a lot?
Yeah! There’s one song called ‘Water Tower Town.’ This was a song that reminds me of my hometown. The water tower in my hometown was right across the train tracks from the baseball field that I grew up playing at when I was younger, so I grew up passing the water tower every day. It talks about Friday night football and sweet tea and fireflies – all things that relate to Garner, North Carolina. When I heard it I was just smiling ear to ear. That’s one of the songs that I’m excited about putting out and seeing the reaction to, and I know my hometown will be all over that song and probably playing it at football games and stuff. That’s definitely one of my favorites on the album.

What was your experience being in a studio for the first time like?
My only experience before this was in a basement studio for a sophomore [year] project. I went to my guitar teacher’s house in a little basement studio … so not too much experience in the studio.

[Going into the studio for this album], it was incredible. The first time I got to work with Mark [Bright] in Nashville, we went over to Starstruck over near Reba’s place and all the studio musicians were there. And those guys are just incredible. They can listen to listen to a song once, make a few pencil marks and play it like they’ve heard it for 20 years. It was cool for me to see that, the newbie. I was watching all these guys and they’re these professionals, and I was taken aback a little bit. And Mark Bright’s great — he’s worked with Carrie [Underwood] and Rascal Flatts and the Lonestar stuff. He’s incredible. He’s just a genius. It was nice working with him and working with somebody who knows what he’s talking about and knows what he’s doing. I’d sing my stuff, and I’d let them do the work [laughs].

The album title is ‘Clear as Day.’ How did you decide on that, and were there other contenders for the album title?
Yeah, there were a couple, but ‘Clear as Day’ is a song on the album that’s got a deep message to it. We had a bunch of songs that we were thinking, we could put that as the album title … I think ‘Clear as Day’ was just very fitting, you know? One, ’cause ‘Clear as Day’ the song is talking about how you remember it like it’s clear as day … and for me, I’m clear as day. What you see it what you get. Hopefully people respond to it. We just kind of figured ‘Clear as Day’ was perfect for it.

Your family has obviously been so supportive of you, and you’ve even encouraged your fans to follow your mom and dad on Twitter. Do you ever worry they’ll tweet something embarrassing about you, like a goofy picture from when you were a kid?
I’m sure it’ll probably happen eventually! But that’s just, you know, to show fans who I was and who I am. I won’t be too upset. I might get a little embarrassed, but it’ll be all good. I’m not too worried.

Is your mom on the road with you right now?
Yeah, she’s been right by my side since day one of this tour. And my dad’s come out to some shows, and he’s helped out, especially up in the northeast because that’s where he’s from around, so he was just with us for the last week or so and traveling with us around Maine and New Hampshire and Massachusetts. It’s a lot of fun having my family out here. I don’t know how the other kids do it without their parents, you know. They’ve been right by my side taking care of some of the business stuff. You know, I just want to sing, that’s all I want to do — but there’s a lot of business that goes with this too.

And you’ve said you’re heading back to Garner High.
Yeah, I’ll probably be there 50/50 for the year, but yeah, we’re lookin’ to get back pretty soon actually. We’ve got some days off coming up here, so I’m not gonna not go to school! I’m gonna be there, and be normal. I’m not gonna be walking around school with an ‘American Idol’ T-shirt. I’m gonna try to blend in and try to just be a normal kid — something I haven’t been doing for the last couple months. I talk to my friends back at school all the time, every day. For the most part they treat me the exact same as when I left.

Will you be there for the first day back, or has that already passed?
No, they started school August 25. We knew we were gonna miss that, but I’ll be there … next time I have a day off, or we’re not on tour or not promoting the album, or any day I’m in Garner on a weekday, I’ll be at school.

Do you think you’ll be around for the big senior year stuff, like Prom?
I should be around for Homecoming and stuff. I’ll find out about Prom later on. It just depends on tour dates and promotion dates and stuff. There are things we’re trying to work around. There are some important days … I mean, I’m a high school football fan! I’m not ashamed to say it! So if I wanna go to a game, I’ll say, “Look, can we do this on Thursday or Saturday and not miss Friday?” We’re trying to work around me being a kid, you know. I know I have certain obligations. I know I have places I need to be and sing and show up, but I’m gonna try to be as normal of a kid as possible. I’m not trying to just throw away my childhood.

What do you miss the most about the times when you can’t be home?
I just miss my friends, you know? I miss going to Snoopy’s to get a hot dog or going to Bojangles to get a sweet tea, just doing normal stuff. Kids, they get all bent out of shape and don’t wanna go to school, but I’ll tell ya: Wow, what I’d give to take one more English test or something! Just sit at a desk, pick up a pencil. I don’t think I’d be falling asleep in class anymore!

You’re obviously pretty grounded, but you’ve also probably met a lot of celebrities by this point. Is there anyone who told you they watched ‘American Idol’ that really surprised you?

Yeah! I really didn’t expect any of the country music singers out there in Nashville to know me. They’re busy, and they’re on the road … I wouldn’t think they’d have much time to watch a TV show. Even when I met Keith Urban in the bathroom, he looked at me and said, “Oh, hey Scotty!” I was kinda taken aback that he even knew my name. It’s still wild for me to know these people actually watch the show, and they know who we are. It’s humbling, you know? These people that I’ve grown up idolizing and loving their music and listening to it every day. It’s cool to see they know who I am [laughs].

And then you snagged a song from Keith for your record, right? Did he personally call you up and offer you that song?
He sent it to my label — he sent a message to me through the label, told me about the song and stuff, but it’s just a great song. I’m glad he sent it my way. Even if it wasn’t a Keith song, it’s just a great song and I’d put it on there anyways. The fact that it’s from Keith just adds a huge star by it, a huge bonus, and he’s a great guy. Every time I’ve gotten the chance the talk to him he’s been really cool and down to earth and really nice to me.

Has he given you any words of wisdom?

Not so much Keith, but I’ve talked to some other guys or, you know, Carrie Underwood – she’s given me some advice. I haven’t had the chance to really sit down and talk to many country music people, other than Tim McGraw ‘cause I got to sing with him on the show and Josh Turner — he’s been really supportive of me and helped me out and stuff. He even stopped by, Josh did, on the very first day of recording in Nashville when we were laying down the first five tracks, just to say hello. It’s been cool to see these people that I’ve grown up with stop by.

You brought up Tim McGraw, who’s not only a successful country singer, but he’s also acted in
several movies. Would you ever consider getting into acting?
I went to a movie last night, and I saw a preview for him, and I was like, “Oh, look at Tim!”
Who knows. I mean, I did a play back in high school — I did ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ — and that was fun. But for the most part, I’ll probably stick to singing. But you know, if it comes down the pipeline and it looks good and it looks funny, who’s to say it wouldn’t happen. You never know. You never know with stuff like that. I mean, Tim’s kinda opened the door … he’s done amazing with those movies. All his movies are great: ‘Friday Night Lights’ and ‘The Blind Side.’

Who did you play in ‘Bye Bye Birdie’?
I was Birdie … it was kinda like Elvis. I was in a dilemma [laughs]! My [baseball] coach was like, “Scotty, you’re missing practice for Birdie?” I was like, “Coach! Just give me another week or two!” It all worked out.

It sounds like you were pretty busy even before this whole music business thing worked out for you.
I was! I was a busy guy at the high school. Now I’m just an extra busy guy. I was the busiest high school student in North Carolina.

Source

Lauren Alaina Interview with Taste of Country

Mike Coppola, Getty Images

Not many up-and-coming singers can say they’ve got the support of Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Taylor Swift like Lauren Alaina does. Then again, not many young performers have an ‘American Idol’ claim to fame, a promising record deal and a single that started climbing the charts as soon as it was released. The 16-year-old Georgia native may have placed second to Scotty McCreery in the official ‘Idol’ competition, but her career trajectory is proving to be just as promising as his.

“[Taylor Swift] actually gave me flowers while I was on the show and told me that she wanted to show me around Nashville,” Alaina gushes to Taste of Country. Maybe that gift is a sign of what’s to come.
Just days before the American Idols Live Tour officially ends, Alaina has a gab session with Taste of Country about life on the road, new songs — including an Underwood-penned track that’ll be on her debut album ‘Wildflower,’ due out on October 11 — and the country boy she “about had a a stroke” over meeting.

You accepted a marriage proposal from a fan for a one day only engagement recently. It probably wasn’t exactly your dream scenario of how that would happen one day, right?

It was very … I didn’t know what to say! I’ve never had that happen to me before. He got down on one knee and everything. There’s a video [laughs]. You can probably watch it. It definitely caught me off-guard. I had no idea he was gonna do that.

Are you the kind of girl who has her future wedding planned out?
No! But I was at the Boston Red Sox game last night, and this guy proposed to his girlfriend on the big screen, and I thought that was the cutest thing ever.

Your first single is about your mom, and it sounds like ‘She’s a Wildflower’ may be a coming-of-age kind of song. Do you have many love songs on the new album?
[Pauses] It has a few … I’m trying to think. All of my songs kind of tell a story, and some of them are about [love]. I have some, yeah.

Since you are young, is it difficult or weird to sing love songs, or is love something you’ve experienced?
Well, I’ve had crushes and stuff, so I don’t really mind singing about it. I like any song that can tell a story that people can relate to.

You co-wrote a song called ‘The Funny Thing About Love.’ Can you tell us the story behind writing that song and what the experience working with co-writers was like for you?
Basically what we did, is we got together and we just talked for a while because it was the first time we had met. I got to know the two writers, Brett James and Luke Laird, and it was really nice and they’re super awesome people. We were talking about stuff to write about, and we actually wrote another song before that one that I didn’t put on the album, and then we wrote that one our second time.
We were just talkin’ about how … it’s not about anything in particular, it’s about how when you’re growing up you never are on the right timing with the other person. You like someone who doesn’t like you, and then when you don’t like them anymore they like you. Or it’s the opposite. That’s basically what it says.

Do you know what your next single will be and when fans will get to hear that?
I have not found out! We haven’t even discussed the second single ‘cause my first one’s still doing pretty good. So I don’t really know, but I’m excited to get another one out there for the fans to hear.

We asked your fans to send us questions on Twitter, and that’s the thing most of them wanted to know!

Aw, tell them I’m sorry that I don’t know yet [laughs].

Take us through a typical day in the life of Lauren Alaina right now, from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed.
I wake up and if I have time, I go work out. And then I get in the shower and I get in the bus and we ride to the venue, and then I start hair and makeup. I go through hair and makeup, and then we have soundcheck. After soundcheck, I have a meet and greet. And [laughs] … I’m sorry, Casey Abrams just walked in here and started dancing, and I lost my whole train of thought! OK, so after meet and greet — we have like three meet and greets before the show — and then we have to get ready completely for the show. I put on my outfit. I sing, and then I have a little bit of a break before my next song. Then after that, it’s the second half and I have a lot of songs in the second half. I mean, it’s pretty much the same thing every day.

You’ve probably met a lot of celebrities by now. Is there anyone who told you they watched ‘American Idol’ that really surprised you?

Keith Urban came up to me when I was in Nashville for a week for the CMA Festival. He came up to me at a radio … thing [laughs]. I don’t know what it was, really. But it was like where a bunch of radio stations set up in one room, and a lot of artists are in there talking to them, and Keith Urban was in there. He walked up to me and said, “Hey Lauren, I was a huge fan on the show.” He called me by name, and it was really shocking to me! I know how busy he is, so I thought it was really cool.

There’s another one that came up to me, and I about had a stroke: Hunter Hayes!

We heard you had a crush on him…
Maybe … I think he’s cute. I don’t really know him, but we’ve been tweeting back and forth. And his album comes out the same day as mine!

And Martina McBride’s releasing her new album the same day, too.
That’s a busy day! Oh my gosh. I’ll definitely buy it. I’m glad you told me that! I didn’t know.

You’ve also said that you’re a big fan of Taylor Swift but have yet to meet her. What would you say to her if you had a few minutes with her?
I haven’t, and I really want to. She actually gave me flowers while I was on the show and told me that she wanted to show me around Nashville, so maybe when I finish this tour we can do that.
I feel like everyone tells her how good they think she is … I just bought a ton of her songs on my phone the other night, and it just makes you feel better to listen to her songs! I just want her to know. People tell her how awesome she is all the time, but I do the same thing that she does now, and I feel like we could connect. It would be cool for us to be friends.

You’ve mentioned working with Carrie Underwood, too…
Well, she wrote one of the songs that’s on my album.

Can you tease anything about that song for us?
It’s a really sweet song about two young teenagers that fell in love and, you know, have thoughts like teenagers and do things that teenagers do, like they runaway and stuff. It’s really pretty.

Is there anything you miss about not being a normal teenager and not being in school right now?
Um, everything. I wish I could go back to school! I’m gonna go back — I just won’t be able to go every day. I’ll just go, I’m gonna try to cheer at some football games.
None of my friends act any differently towards me, which is great. I was scared about that, so scared about that. But people that weren’t really close to me before have [acted] like best friends, that’s the only thing. But that’s fine! I’ll take all the friends I can get!

Have you gotten to hear Scotty’s album yet?
You know, I haven’t. We’ve been so busy with this tour, we haven’t really had the chance to share anything.

Since you two seem so close, tell us: What’s one thing fans don’t know about Scotty?
Hmmm. One thing that fans don’t know about Scotty. [Long pause.] He’s sleeping all the time!