(NewsNation) — Scotty McCreery was just 17 when he won the 10th season of “American Idol”, sending the future country music star on a road he may have never imagined.
But 13 years later, McCreery has reached a level he always hoped for: Earning a coveted membership into The Grand Ole Opry.
“The Opry is to me, the pinnacle of country music,” McCreery told NewsNation. “All of my heroes have played this stage. The Opry has done so much for country music, so to be part of that family now is just unbelievable.”
McCreery’s most recent album, “Rise and Fall”, was released this year and is a story of the roller-coaster ride that life and one’s work life often includes. While he was just a teenager when he won “American Idol,” McCreery faced many of the stereotypes that come with winning a reality TV competition, including that the shelf life of his musical journey may not last.
“You just have to stay true to yourself, believe in yourself,” McCreery said. “Find what makes you unique and stick to that. Stick to your roots. Stick to your faith, to your family, and your friends.”
He added: “At the end of the day, whether it’s highs or lows, you’ve got to stay true to yourself and I think you can come out of it on the other side feeling good.”
Yet, as McCreery’s country music stardom continues to grow, he is experiencing some of the modern-day obstacles that celebrity brings. That includes becoming the target of artificial intelligence-driven attempts to create a likeness of his original work.
This year, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill into law, protecting musical artists from having AI replicate their voice without their consent.
But to McCreery, country music has always been real-life stories being told by real people. And as advanced as technology may be, the recently minted Opry member doesn’t believe it can touch the music he loves so much.
“I think it’s important we keep it like that and don’t let the computer and anything make songs up with somebody’s voice,” McCreery said. “Regardless of all that, I don’t think a computer can have the heart that a country music song really tells.”
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