Scotty McCreery Wants to Be ‘Aggressive’ With His Music

Scotty McCreery's life certainly has changed from just two years ago, when he was a high school student and grocery store clerk who enjoyed playing baseball and hanging out with friends in his hometown of Garner, N.C. Since that time, the 'American Idol' winner has seen his debut album, 'Clear as Day' debut at the top of the charts, and he's set to hit the road with Brad Paisley beginning tomorrow night (Jan. 12), for Brad's Virtual Reality world tour. But the 18-year-old insists that, even though everything seems to be going his way now, he isn't about to just sit back and enjoy the ride anytime soon.

"Being aggressive is something that needs to happen," Scotty tells Minnesota's Star Tribune. "Even when I was on the show, I remember talking to the producers saying that I want my album to come out quickly because I don't want the people forgetting about me. I'm going to work my tail off.

The teenager says he learned a powerful lesson about his career from playing his favorite sport. "One of my sayings from my baseball days is 'Go big or go home,' he notes. "We want to go big. Right now, we're just trying to get out there and make sure people know we're still around. My dad pitched in college and he raised me on the pitcher's mound. If you're the pitcher, all eyes are on you -- everybody in the stands and the team is depending on you. Being onstage and having all eyes on me, it's kind of a transition from baseball to the stage for me."

The singer with the distinctive bass voice admits that while he's not opposed to recording love songs, he had to include tunes on 'Clear as Day' that were real to him, which was a bit challenging since he's not all that experienced in affairs of the heart.

"I've only had one serious girlfriend," he concedes. "And it was a 13-year-old serious relationship, so it wasn't too much. I've kind of been flying solo for the last few years. But heartbreak is heartbreak, whether you're 18 or whether you're 40."

Scotty may be getting aggressive with his music career but he isn't putting his academic aspirations aside. He plans on pursuing a college degree, even though he knows it may be a daunting task.

"College is important to me," he states simply. "Education is important to me. You never know how far your job can take you."

The Virtual Reality tour begins in Grand Rapids, Mich. and make stops in Wisconsin, Kansas, Utah and Washington. Keep track of the schedule here.