Scotty McCreery & Hootie & The Blowfish Celebrate ‘Bottle Rockets’

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Pictured (L-R, back row): Abbey Watson, Kari Barnhart, Derek George, Annie Ortmeier, Bobby Hamrick, Mike Sistad, Jeremy Bussey, Tom Luteran, Shannon Sanders, Brent Anderson, AJ Burton, Monty Criswell, Kevin Herring and Troy Tomlinson. (L-R, front row): Hootie & The Blowfish’s Dean Felber, Jim Sonfeld and Darius Rucker, Scotty McCreery and Frank Rogers. Photo: Larry McCormack for BMI

Scotty McCreery and Hootie & The Blowfish celebrated their No. 1 track “Bottle Rockets” on Thursday (April 16) at BMI’s Nashville headquarters.

The track marked McCreery’s seventh No. 1, and marked Hootie & The Blowfish’s first ever chart-topper. Triple Tigers Records unveiled during the party that the single had just been RIAA certified Platinum.

Hosted by BMI, ASCAP and SESAC and emceed by BMI’s Shannon Sanders, Sanders welcomed McCreery, three of the four Hootie & The Blowfish members Darius Rucker, Dean Felber, Jim Sonefeld, along with Spirit Music co-writers Monty Criswell, Derek George, Bobby Hamrick, Frank Rogers, Brent Anderson and Jeremy Bussey to the stage. SESAC’S Abbey Watson, ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, Sony Music Publishing’s Tom Luteran, Triple Tigers’ Kevin Herring and UMPG’s Troy Tomlinson each took the microphone to honor the team behind the song.

Pictured (L-R, back row): MusicRow‘s John Nix Arledge, Derek George, Bobby Hamrick, Jeremy Bussey, Brent Anderson, Monty Criswell and MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson. (L-R, front row): Dean Felber, Jim Sonfeld, Darius Rucker, Scotty McCreery and Frank Rogers. Photo: Courtesy of BMI

Sponsored by Studio Bank, Kari Barnhart made a special donation presentation on behalf of McCreery and the songwriters in support of the Opry Trust Fund.

Rogers, who served as a publisher, producer and writer on the track, shared the story of surprising McCreery with vocals from Hootie & The Blowfish during the recording session.

Each co-writer reflected on how many people it takes to bring a song to the top of the charts, from publishers and management to radio and beyond, sharing their gratitude for everyone involved in that journey. Many also shared that they had been longtime fans of Hootie & The Blowfish, making this collaboration feel even more special.

“There is a glue in the middle of [this song] that made it work, and is it Darius [Rucker] and Frank [Rogers]. Without their direction this wouldn’t be happening,” Sonefeld shared.

“It’s very rare, especially when you’ve been in the business for 40 years like we have, to get something that is a first. It’s pretty great to have our first No. 1,” Rucker added.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve to be up here on this stage,” McCreery said, closing out the evening. “There is a lot of talented people just down the street on Broadway and a lot of talented folks writing on Music Row, so the fact that I get to be up here today–I’m humbled and grateful.”

Lauryn Sink
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