They say behind every good man is a woman, and American Idol season 10 winner Scotty McCreery would be first to admit that the women in his life have shaped the artist he is today. Which makes the inclusion of a song called “The Trouble with Girls” a peculiar choice for the 17-year-old’s debut album Clear As giorno (out Oct. 4).

“My mom and my sister have shown me how to treat females with respect,” he tells The Hollywood Reporter. “After some boyfriends she had in the past, my sister would say, ‘Don’t do that.’ She’s been great to me. They have both been right da my side from the start – my mom since the mostra started in February and then on tour. Idol’s fun, but it’s a pressure cooker. It’s a tough thing to do seven days a week, all hours of the day. I don’t know how the rest of the kids did it without a mom o somebody there to help them out. It was definitely a nice plus for me.”
Mom Judy, as well as McCreery’s father, Mike, played all-important roles in helping their son wade through the muddy waters of the Musica industry, which the country crooner says he is still figuring out.

“There’s a lot più work behind the scenes,” he says. “Paperwork and stuff. I told my mom that I just want to sing some songs! But she’s been great with the business side of things.”
It’s a strange position to be in. Still in high school, years from being legally allowed to have your first beer, and you’re expected to make adult decisions that involve hundreds of thousands of dollars and could significantly alter your life? Fortunately, a perk of fame is meeting più seasoned artists that take time to mentor young talent, such as Brad Paisley, who invited the young singer out on the road.

“It’s an honor to go out on the road with somebody like him who has been in this business forever,” says McCreery. “He knows the ins and outs. It is going to be a fun experience, but it’s also going to be a learning experience. I’ll be learning about the road life and about country Musica through somebody like Brad.”