Scotty McCreery has a penchant for paying tribute to the artists that raised him. Take, for example, his hit track “Damn Strait” — a nod to the legendary George Strait. This time, he spotlighted Hootie & The Blowfish — the rock band that featured Darius Rucker as the frontman — in a song called “Bottle Rockets.”
Offering listeners a taste of nostalgia, “Bottle Rockets” paints a vibrant picture of young summer romance as McCreery showcases his smooth southern twang vocals on the lyrics that find him reflecting on a favorite pastime with a love interest on the coast of Carolina.
“Bottle rockets in the sky / Bare feet in the sand / Bonfire in her eyes / Cold beer in the can / Moonlight on the waves / Her kiss in the dark / The smile on her face / When she’d make me break out my guitar and play / Hold my hand / Hold my hand,” the chorus goes, including the hook and riff from Hootie’s 1994 smash “Hold My Hand.”
About Scotty McCreery And Hootie & The Blowfish’s “Bottle Rockets”
“This song takes me back to those summers of having fun with no responsibilities with good times and good tunes,” McCreery shared of “Bottle Rockets” in a press release. “For me, growing up in the Carolinas, Hootie & the Blowfish were just massive and such a huge part of great summers growing up. That’s what this song ‘Bottle Rockets’ is about.”
McCreery, Rucker, Brent Anderson, Derek George, Jeremy Bussey, Monty Criswell, Frank Rogers, Bobby Hamrick, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, and Jim Sonefeld share credits on “Bottle Rockets,” with Rodgers serving as producer for the track. Of note, Hootie & the Blowfish’s portion of the song wasn’t just spliced in. The band re-recorded an updated version specifically for “Bottle Rockets.”
In an interview with Audacy’s Rob + Holly, McCreery said, “The rest of the guys recorded their stuff before we’d even tracked the song in the studio. They were like, ‘We’re already here in Charleston at the studio. Can we just do it?’ And we’re like, ‘Well, here’s the beat, and here’s the key, so knock it out.’ So, it worked out and then Darius was in town from London, so it all came together nicely.”
“It’s quite a thrill to have a cherished, old song of ours take flight again. [It’s] even more special to have a Carolina guy like Scotty reshaping it in such a beautiful way,” Hootie & the Blowfish’s Sonefeld said.
Most-Added At Country Radio Upon Release
“Bottle Rockets” arrives just in time for summer and has already filled the airwaves. According to a press release, the track garnered 110 radio adds at Country radio upon release, marking McCreery’s second single to achieve the honor following 2024’s “Cab in a Solo.”
“I am thrilled and thankful to country radio for making ‘Bottle Rockets’ the Most Added Song this week,” McCreery said. “It’s a dream come true to sing with Hootie and the Blowfish. They are royalty in the Carolinas where I grew up, and ‘Hold My Hand’ has been one of my favorite summer songs since I first heard it as a kid. What a way to start the week before I travel to the UK!”
“Bottle Rockets” comes as McCreery prepares for five headlining shows overseas. Those shows wrap up before his Grand Ole Opry performance on June 4 and his CMA Music Festival concert the following day. After that, McCreery has a series of fairs and festivals dates spread throughout the summer. Later this year, he will co-headline the Two for the Road Tour alongside Dustin Lynch. The tour begins on November 6th in Saginaw, MI.
