GARNER For months, Scotty McCreery had been ringing up customers just like any other high school cashier at the Lowes Foods in Garner.
But one day last February, store manager Terry Mascaro noticed that everything had changed. Scotty had just been featured on TV as a singing hopeful for this season of "American Idol," and Lowes patrons had taken notice.
"Once they realized who it was, they all went to his register," Mascaro recalled. Four checkout lines were soon empty, while Scotty's stretched 30 customers deep - all the way to the back of the store.
Scotty, 17, patiently posed for pictures and signed autographs for all of them. But the scene was a stark reminder that the life he had known - high school baseball player, member of the school chorus and the church youth group, afterschool employee at the grocery store - was going away. He was on his way to celebrity and would soon be singing for a national audience on TV's top-rated show.
Most of the stories describe Scotty as a wholesome boy next door - but one who always had something special about him, too. Jaime Baker, Scotty's kindergarten teacher at Timber Drive Elementary School in Garner, remembers a self-assured youngster who shook her hand on the first day of class and said, "My name is Scott McCreery. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Baker."
Cathy King, who taught Scotty in eighth grade at West Lake Middle School in Apex, had her students write a biography of themselves. She still has part of Scotty's: "My philosophy of life is simple. Please God, work, provide for your family and help others."
Scotty also showed his musical side back then. King remembers him bringing his guitar in and performing during an eighth-grade awards ceremony. The song choice foreshadowed Scotty's future: "The Time of My Life" by David Cook, the winner of the seventh season of "American Idol."
As he grew older, Scotty performed often at church. He won "Clayton Idol," a local singing contest. And he starred last year in Garner High's production of the musical "Bye Bye Birdie." Scotty played the role of Conrad Birdie, a thinly disguised version of Elvis Presley - Scotty's own childhood idol.
His performance was a revelation to many who hadn't heard Scotty sing yet, Garner High Principal Drew Cook said.
"My wife ... looked over at me and said, 'Who in the world is that?'" Cook recalled.
GR8 articles ~ thanks!
Interesting comments at bottom.
Seems folks either really, really like and support him ... or not, with a passion.
I almost H8 to see one or the other win. I like them BOTH so much.
Hope they hang on to their trademark humility.
When Scotty broke down in the limo it was heart wrenching.
Their lives will never be the same.
Fame is so fickle, well spent by too few.
Thanks for posting those articles! They just confirm what nice kids Scotty and Lauren are!
I would love to see this performance! I can just imagine what fun he must have had doing this!
His performance was a revelation to many who hadn't heard Scotty sing yet, Garner High Principal Drew Cook said.
"My wife ... looked over at me and said, 'Who in the world is that?'" Cook recalled.
That's the same reaction I had when I first heard him sing at the try outs. I still can't believe he's only 17-18. He really has a lot of poise for someone so young, so much so that you tend to forget his age.
I'm really looking forward to the finals this year as I like both Scotty and Lauren and the actual winner makes no difference to me.
I really love that it's a 'country idol' finale, even though I liked James as well and thought tonight would be featuring Scotty vs James.
Thanks for letting me pop in with my opinion. I don't post on the thread because, being in CA, it's never been as much fun if I'm not talking live with ya'll. I'm an avid Idol fan, though, that hasn't missed a season ever! :)