At just 17 years old, Scotty McCreery made history as the youngest male winner of American Idol. More than a decade later, he has built a steady and deeply personal country career, earning five No. 1 singles—including the 2017 hit “Five More Minutes.” But on a recent Ohio night, the song that helped define his career carried a heavier meaning than ever before.
Just hours apart, McCreery lost both of his grandmothers—his maternal grandmother, Janet, and his paternal grandmother, Paquita. The losses came on Wednesday, July 9, leaving the singer reeling as he prepared to take the stage the following night.
“My heart is absolutely broken… I think I am still in a bit of shock as I type this,” McCreery shared in a heartfelt post on social media the next day. “But I’m choosing to remember the great memories we all made with both of them. There really are too many to count.”
On Instagram, the 31-year-old singer posted a photo from his 2018 wedding to wife Gabi, showing the couple standing alongside both grandmothers. McCreery and his wife are currently expecting their second child, adding another layer of emotion to the moment.
Reflecting on his memories, McCreery wrote about time spent on the family farm in Elizabeth City, trips to the Outer Banks with Grandma Janet, afternoons by the backyard pool in Pinehurst, and travels to Puerto Rico with Grandma Paquita. “Both of them truly taught me what love is all about,” he wrote. “I will miss them dearly. If y’all could keep my family in your prayers, I’d appreciate it.”
Despite the unimaginable loss, McCreery chose not to cancel his scheduled appearance at the Country Concert in Fort Loramie, Ohio, on Thursday night. Instead, he stepped onto the stage and honored his grandmothers the only way he knew how—through song.
As he began “Five More Minutes,” McCreery lifted his eyes toward the sky, his voice trembling as he fought back tears. When he reached the lyric “I wish I had me a pause button”, the weight of the moment was unmistakable. The crowd stood silent, allowing the emotion to settle over the field as the song unfolded.
McCreery originally wrote “Five More Minutes” after the death of his grandfather in 2015. The track later made history as the first song to break into the Top 50 country chart without the support of a record label—a testament to how deeply its message resonates.
On this night, however, the song wasn’t about chart success or milestones. It was a plea, a tribute, and a reminder of how fleeting time can be—and how powerful music becomes when it carries real loss behind every word.
se, Lord knows I’d hit it / Yeah, sometimes this old life will leave you wishin’ / That you had five more minutes.