Mercury Nashville/19 Recordings/Interscope artist Scotty McCreery will serve as grand marshal of the 2011 WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas Parade presented by the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association. Coverage will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, live from Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh.

 

More than 60,000 people will line the streets to watch the parade, which is the largest parade between Atlanta and Washington D.C. The parade, which is in its 67^th year, will feature more than 100 entries, including bands, fantastic floats, super-sized balloons, twirlers, entertainers and a special surprise at the end of the parade.

 

“It means a great deal to me to serve as grand marshal of this parade,” Scotty says. “I’m really glad to be able to get out there and see all of the hometown folks. I know it will be fun!

 

“The support I’ve received from my hometown over the last year has meant so much to me. They have been by my side since day one. We took them on a journey with us; they were along for the ride with me. So it’s nice to see them back home, still supporting me.“

 

He has fond memories of attending the Christmas parade as a boy. “We went with some family friends and it was freezing cold, so we brought a bunch of blankets. But it was always fun and it’s a good time for the community, so it’s cool to be a part of it.”

 

America first fell in love with Scotty McCreery in 2011 when he appeared on American Idol and immediately made a name for himself with his deep and undeniably country voice, strong sense of self, small-town roots, and unwavering integrity and conviction.  In May, he won Season Ten of American Idol when a record-breaking 122.4 million votes were cast for the finale and nearly 39 million people tuned in to see the winner’s name announced. Then shortly after he starred in the American Idols Live! Tour, which Pollstar ranked as one of the nation’s Top 15 tours. 
 

On Oct. 4, he released his debut album, Clear As Day, which premiered at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and Top Country Albums charts, making him the youngest male in history to open at the top of the all-genre chart with a debut release. This was also the highest first-week album sales of any solo country artist in 2011.  This week, the album sits atop the Top Country Albums chart for the second consecutive week.
 

The album’s gold certified debut single, “I Love You This Big,” became a Top 15 hit and enjoyed the highest-charting debut for a new artist since at least 1984. The video for the song also hit No. 1 in just a week after its release.  

An estimated 15,000 people attended his Album Release Party Homecoming Concert and Birthday Celebration in Raleigh, N.C, on Oct. 8, the day before his 18^th birthday. He performed several songs from his new album, including his current hit, “The Trouble With Girls.” Scotty is currently completing his senior year in high school.

 

 

For information on Scotty McCreery:

 

Beverly Keel                                                             Roger Widynowski

615-524-7563                                                           310-746-1949

 

Dennis Dennehy

310-865-7934