How Hootie & the Blowfish’s Classic ‘Hold My Hand’ Came to Be on Scotty McCreery’s ‘Bottle Rockets’: ‘It Fit Like a Glove’

Courtesy Billboard.com | Melinda Newman

McCreery and the band's Jim Sonefeld share the behind-the-scenes story.

Sometimes, a serendipitous moment happens while writing a song that in hindsight seems like it was just meant to be.

Such is the case was with Scotty McCreery’s new single “Bottle Rockets,” which features Hootie & the Blowfish revisiting their breakthrough hit, 1994’s “Hold My Hand.”

McCreery was with songwriting buddies and producer Frank Rogers at his cabin in the North Carolina mountains for a writing retreat. There were six inches of snow on the ground when thoughts turned to warmer times and the soundtracks to their memories of summers past.

“I had mentioned how much I loved Hootie & the Blowfish, and Frank being from South Carolina and a frequent collaborator with Darius [Rucker] knew exactly what to do with that,” McCreery says. “We started strumming the tune that would eventually become ‘Bottle Rockets,’ and at the end of the makeshift chorus we had at that point, Frank went into ‘Hold My Hand.’ It fit like a glove. Everyone was laughing and high-fiving because we knew we were on to something. The song really just spilled out from there.”

Continue Reading

Scotty McCreery’s “Bottle Rockets” Featuring Hootie & the Blowfish Most Added at Country Radio - 110 Station Adds

unnamed 2Scotty McCreery has the Most Added Song at Country radio this week with his latest release, “Bottle Rockets,” featuring the 2-time GRAMMY-winning Hootie & the Blowfish. The breezy new single 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,” said McCreery. “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!”

“It’s quite a thrill to have a cherished, old song of ours take flight again,” shares Hootie’s Jim Sonefeld. “Even more special to have a Carolina guy like Scotty reshaping it in such a beautiful way.”

Hootie & the Blowfish re-recorded “Hold My Hand” this spring just for McCreery’s “Bottle Rockets.” (The original version of “Hold My Hand” is on their RIAA 22x-Platinum Cracked Rear View). The track was co-written by McCreery, Brent Anderson, Derek George, Jeremy Bussey, Monty Criswell, Frank Rogers, Bobby Hamrick, Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, and Jim Sonefeld, and produced by Rogers.

LISTEN: “Bottle Rockets” Featuring Hootie & The Blowfish

Scotty McCreery Kicks Off the Summer with Latest Single “Bottle Rockets” Featuring Hootie & The Blowfish - Out Now

Bottle Rockets Single Art V2Multi-Platinum Country music hitmaker, Scotty McCreery, is ready to kick-off the summer with the release of his breezy new single, “Bottle Rockets,” featuring the iconic Hootie & The Blowfish, out now. The track, co-written by McCreery, Brent Anderson, Derek George, Jeremy Bussey, Monty Criswell, Frank Rogers, Bobby Hamrick, Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, and Jim Sonefeld and produced by Rogers, takes us back to the carefree teenage days of summer. North Carolina native McCreery called on his South Carolina neighbors, Hootie & The Blowfish, who recorded a new version of their mega-hit “Hold My Hand” for the track, to join him in reflecting on the simpler times.

"This song takes me back to those summers of having fun with no responsibilities with good times and good tunes. 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."
-Scotty McCreery 

LISTEN: “Bottle Rockets” Featuring Hootie & The Blowfish

Next week, McCreery will be headed overseas to the United Kingdom for five headlining shows in Belfast, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester and London with Caylee Hammack as his opening act. Fans will then be able to see him stateside in Nashville, TN where he will be on-stage at the Grand Ole Opry on June 4th and performing during CMA Music Festival in Nissan Stadium on June 5th.  McCreery will tour at fairs and festivals throughout the summer. This Fall, he will be co-headlining the Two for the Road Tour alongside Dustin Lynch. The tour is set to kick-off on November 6th in Saginaw, MI.

Recently, McCreery announced the expanded version of his career-changing album, Seasons Change: Platinum Edition, available on June 20th. The album features four additional tracks not included on the original album – acoustic versions of the album’s three No. 1 singles plus fan favorite, “Still.” It will be available for a limited time on platinum-colored double vinyl exclusively through Amazon.com and on CD through his website.

SCOTTY MCCREERY MAY FAN OF THE MONTH

Congratulations to the Scotty McCreery Fan of the Month for May 2025, Jeff W! Learn more about Jeff below!

image1

 

Where are you from?: Regina Saskatchewan Canada 

How many years have you been a fan?: Since his Idol audition

How many years have you been a fan club member? 1 year

What is your favorite Scotty song?  Damn Strait

What is your favorite Scotty album? All of Them

How many times have you seen Scotty live? What was your first show? What was your favorite show? One, saw him in March. 

What’s one thing that sets you apart from other Scotty fans? Not your typical fan. 45 year old single dad with a 20 year old daughter who is also a big fan since idol. She celebrated her 21st birthday the weekend we saw his show.

DUSTIN LYNCH AND SCOTTY MCCREERY ANNOUNCE CO-HEADLINING TWO FOR THE ROAD TOUR

COUNTRY FAVORITES HEAD OUT ON 12 HIT-HEAVY DATES THIS FALL

dustinscotty

Raising a toast to some of the biggest Country hits of the past decade, Dustin Lynch and Scotty McCreery are joining forces for their co-headlining TWO FOR THE ROAD TOUR, announcing a dozen special shows in the fall.

Tickets for the DUSTIN LYNCH AND SCOTTY MCCREERY: TWO FOR THE ROAD TOUR are available via exclusive fan presale including VIP Packages begin at Wednesday (4/30) at 10 a.m. local time, and continuing through Thursday (5/1) at 10 p.m. local time. The tour’s public on-sale begins Friday (5/2) at 10 a.m. local time. To purchase tickets, visit Lynch and McCreery’s websites.

The TWO FOR THE ROAD TOUR kicks off November 6 in Saginaw, MI, and will feature 12 hit heavy stops across the U.S. Stretching from Portland, ME, to Tupelo, MS, the run is scheduled to wrap December 6 in Duluth, MN, with two of Country’s most electrifying talents supported by Walker Montgomery and Sons of Habit (who will appear on select dates).

This tour concept brings a pair of bona fide Country stars to the same bill for the first time. Hot off his recent headlining debut at Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre (check out his exclusive with PEOPLE here), Lynch remains an in-demand headliner – who is currently hosting his ongoing 2025 WYNN NIGHTLIFE LAS VEGAS RESIDENCY. The buzzed-about club set makes Lynch Wynn Nightlife’s first-ever country music artist in residency in Las Vegas, NV, with dates continuing through summer.

After breaking out with the PLATINUM “Cowboys and Angels” in 2012, Lynch has gone on to post 10 #1s – including his latest #1 “Chevrolet (feat. Jelly Roll),” and the 2X PLATINUM, six-week #1 “Thinking ‘Bout You (feat. MacKenzie Porter)” – the most-played song at Country radio in 2022. A Grand Ole Opry member who continues to break boundaries as a global performer, Lynch has played to over 4 MILLION fans spanning five headline runs, in addition to touring with Country’s biggest names like Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, and Brad Paisley.

McCreery, who was a crowd favorite last night at the Stagecoach Festival, also brings a long list of modern-classic Country hits to the TWO FOR THE ROAD TOUR. A perennial hitmaker with a rumbling baritone, McCreery was the first country artist and the youngest male artist of any genre to debut his first studio album at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Top 200 Albums chart back in 2011, and has gone on to sell more than 4 MILLION albums and score six #1’s  - including the 3X-PLATINUM “Five More Minutes” and his recent chart topper “Cab in a Solo.”  The ACM and CMT award winner recently announced the June 20th  release of a special edition of the album that took him to superstardom, Seasons Change: Platinum Edition, now available for pre-order with four additional tracks.

McCreery’s TWO FOR THE ROAD TOUR appearance continues to cement his top-flight reputation. After kicking off the year touring the US and Canada with Kane Brown, plus a packed schedule of headline and festival dates, including his upcoming UK Tour in May and Switzerland’s Gstaad Festival in September, McCreery remains a dedicated road-warrior that connects with audiences internationally. He is also a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry and recently served as the announcer on the “Opry 100 -  A Live Celebration” highly rated NBC television special.

DustinLynch ScottyMcCreery 2025 1080x1350 TourPoster01d 12DUSTIN LYNCH AND SCOTTY MCCREERY: TWO FOR THE ROAD TOUR promises a unique experience for Country music fans, so don’t miss out on this thrilling tandem tour.

CO-HEADLINING DATES OF DUSTIN LYNCH AND SCOTTY MCCREERY: TWO FOR THE ROAD TOUR

NOVEMBER

6 | Saginaw, MI – Dow Event Center*

7 | Bloomington, IL – Grossinger Motors Arena*

8 | Rochester, MN – Mayo Civic Center*

13 | Portland, ME – Cross Insurance Arena*

14 | Reading, PA – Santander Arena*

15 | Canton, OH – Canton Memorial Civic Center*

20 | Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Civic Coliseum+

21 | Tupelo, MS – Cadence Bank Arena+

22 | Corbin, KY – The Corbin Arena+

DECEMBER

4 | Ralston, NE – Liberty First Credit Union Arena+

5 | Fargo, ND – SCHEELS Arena+

6 | Duluth, MN – AMSOIL Arena+

* Walker Montgomery

+ Sons of Habit

 

Scotty McCreery Releases Seasons Change: Platinum Edition - Available June 20th

Album Features Four New Tracks Not on Original Project

Seasons Change: Platinum Edition Limited Vinyl Exclusive with Amazon Available for Pre-Sale Now

seasonschangedplatinum

Multi-Platinum selling artist and songwriter, Scotty McCreery, is set to release Seasons Change: Platinum Edition, an expanded version of his career-changing album, Seasons Change, available on June 20th. The album, which was originally released in 2018, was McCreery’s fourth album to debut at No. 1 on a Billboard Album Chart and demonstrated his masterful songwriting – co-writing each of the 11 album tracks including his first three No.1 hits: “Five More Minutes” (3x Platinum), “This Is It” (Platinum), and “In Between” (Gold).  The new Seasons Change: Platinum Edition will feature four additional tracks not on the original album: acoustic versions of the album’s three No.1 singles plus fan favorite “Still.”  The album also features a new cover and updated artwork throughout the project, as well as new liner notes and thank you remarks, as McCreery looks back on the last few years of his career since the original album was released. It will be available for a limited time on platinum-colored double vinyl exclusively through Amazon.com,and also available on CD at ScottyMcCreery.com.

“The Seasons Change album was truly life-changing for me,” said McCreery. “After experiencing both some career highs and lows, I was starting over. For the first time, I co-wrote all the songs and felt like the project was truly me. It has been both gratifying and confidence-building to see how the fans, radio and streaming have embraced the music from this album and me. I’m a guy who loves to look back, and I celebrate the release of this new expanded edition and all the accomplishments we’ve made since the original album came out, while also looking ahead to making new dreams come true.” 

Pre-Save:  Seasons Change: Platinum Edition

Seasons Change: Platinum Edition Track Listing: 

1. “Seasons Change” (Scotty McCreery/James McNair/Tommy Cecil)
2. “Wherever You Are” (Scotty McCreery/Frank Rogers/Dan Isbell)
3. “Boys From Back Home” (Scotty McCreery/Dan Isbell/Jason Gantt)
4. “Five More Minutes” (Scotty McCreery/Frank Rogers/Monty Criswell)
5.  “In Between” (Scotty McCreery/Frank Rogers/Jessi Alexander/Jonathan Singleton)
6.  “This Is It” (Scotty McCreery/Frank Rogers/Aaron Eshuis)
7.  “Wrong Again” (Scotty McCreery/Frank Rogers/Phillip White)
8.  “Move It On Out” (Scotty McCreery/Dan Isbell/Aaron Eshuis)
9.  “Barefootin’” (Scotty McCreery/Frank Rogers/David Lee Murphy
10. “Still” (Scotty McCreery/Aaron Eshuis) 
11. “Home In My Mind” (Scotty McCreery/James McNair/Tommy Cecil)
12. “In Between” (acoustic)
13. “Five More Minutes” (acoustic)
14. “This Is It” (acoustic)
15. “Still” (acoustic)

Seasons Change was a pivotal project for McCreery that would solidify him as a bona fide Country music star. The incredibly personal album gave fans a candid look into the rising artist’s life during a 5-year break between projects. During this time McCreery moved out on his own, went to college, released a book, switched record labels, and proposed to his high school sweetheart. Through all of life’s changes he grew up, learned who he was and what it is he wants to say with his music. Seasons Change was produced by Frank Rogers, Derek Wells, and Aaron Eshuis, and the four additional acoustic tracks were produced by Nathan Thomas.

This year, fans will see new music from McCreery soon and can check him out on the road. He will be performing at the famed Stagecoach music festival in Indio, CA on Sunday, April 27th. In addition to touring on his own, McCreery has been performing on select dates with Kane Brown this spring, both in the U.S. and Canada. He will return to the UK for a headlining five city tour in May, with dates already sold out in London, Glasgow, and Manchester.

For more information on Scotty McCreery, including upcoming show dates and tickets, please visit ScottyMcCreery.com.

Page 1 of 134