It’s been a huge year for Scotty McCreery and his wife Gabi Dugal McCreery. The country hitmaker continued his streak of number one hits when he saw “Damn Strait” hit the top of the country chart.
Just after their fourth anniversary, the couple announced that they were expecting. In October, he was presented with the Randy Owen Angels Among Us Award for his continued to commitment to aiding children’s cancer research at St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Two weeks later, his first child arrived. Merrick Avery McCreery was born on October 24.
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McCreery was part of CMA Country Christmas and he’ll have an executive producer credit on the new Hallmark Christmas film, Five More Minutes: Moments Like These. He’ll also kick off a brand new headlining tour in January. To say that 2022 was a landmark year for the American Idol alum would be an understatement.
He shared new photos of his newborn son, and he spoke to PEOPLE about his big year. Check out goodbyes as he prepared to leave for his first concerts since Avery’s birth in an Instagram post.
“This is the first trip away since he’s been born” McCreery said. “So getting to the airport and saying goodbye to him was definitely the toughest. It really hit me this morning.”
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McCreey’s son, who is called by his middle name, arrived a bit early.
“It was kind of crazy,” the 29-year-old singer said. “I was a few hours away when I got the call that Gabi was in labor. We were still two weeks early at the time, and she just knew she was going to be late. We’re building a place in the mountains and I had to bring some stuff up there to get ready for the house. I was there for one night and I was coming back in the morning. We both agreed – drop everything off and come right back. Of course, it was going to happen right then.”
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The McCreerys immediately fell in love with their newborn son.
“It was a lot of emotions, pride and love, for sure,” he said. “It was just instant, unconditional love. I’ve never felt a love like that, never knew a love like that could exist. And at the same time was just so proud of Gabi and all the hard work she did during this time. She was so awesome through the nine months of pregnancy and the delivery – she’s a champ.”
The reality of fatherhood has definitely begun to hit McCreery hard.
“It’s been hitting me every day, just looking at him,” he said. “It could be when I’m eating breakfast or taking a walk and realize I have a stroller too instead of just my dog.”
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In the new photos, the family dog seems to be taking well to Avery. The family all poses together in their home, and their furriest member is front and center as the McCreerys hold Avery.
“I never liked to hold babies,” he said. “I had a bad experience 10 years ago and since then, I’d never picked one up again until Avery. When it’s your own child, it’s like, ‘Oh, OK. A lot more comfortable!’”
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Additionally, Scotty McCreery will soon embark on a 20+ date tour in 2023, dubbed the Damn Strait Tour. The trek, which kicks off on January 20, 2023, in Hinton, OK at Sugar Creek Casino, will visit over a dozen states and runs through April of 2023.
“Looking forward to hitting the road in 2023 with the Damn Strait Tour,” McCreery shared. “I’ve enjoyed my time at home learning to be a Dad to Avery, but I’ve missed being onstage with the band and performing for the fans. Can’t wait to see everyone in the new year!”
The tour takes its name from McCreery’s fifth consecutive chart-topper, “Damn Strait,” which stayed at No.1 for three weeks and also landed at No. 4 on the Billboard Year End Country Airplay chart along with being named among Billboard’s “10 Best Country Songs of 2022.”
McCreery’s current single “It Matters To Her” continues to climb the charts at Country radio and has reached No. 32 on this week’s Mediabase chart.
