At the 2019 CMA Awards, all the big moments happening and iconic stars rubbing elbows got The Boot thinking about what country music really is. For some, it can all be boiled down to one song, or one particularly legendary artist. For others, the definition of "country" is much looser: It can be a feeling, a season of the year, or even a particular memory.

For Scotty McCreery, the definition of "country music" all comes down to the kind of music he loved growing up. He learned to love the format because of traditional artists, and now, he says that he -- along with a number of his contemporaries -- is looking to encapsulate that sound in the new music he puts out. Read on as McCreery explains what country music means to him.

I think, for me, I grew up on the good old country music, so I might be taking it back to that a little bit [in my own songs on the next album]: a little more fiddle, a little more steel guitar. We'll see how it rolls, but that's where my head's at right now.

[There are a lot of artists turning more back towards a traditional sound right now], and I love that. It's awesome. There's so many: You've got Luke Combs over there who's bringing it back, Jon Pardi. There are so many great traditional acts that are kicking butt, so I love that. Those guys are next level for sure, but hopefully one day we'll get to be part of it. Yeah, they're definitely leading the charge.

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