SCOTTY MCCREERY BROUGHT CONWAY TWITTY BACK TO LIFE — AND HIS “HELLO DARLIN’” COVER HAD FANS COMPLETELY SWOONING
Valentine’s Day in Louisville got a little more romantic when Scotty McCreery stepped onto the stage and reached back into country music history.
Opening for Cody Johnson at the KFC YUM! Center on February 14, McCreery chose the perfect song for the occasion: Conway Twitty’s beloved classic “Hello Darlin’.”
And the crowd absolutely loved it.
McCreery’s deep, unmistakably country voice gave the timeless song a fresh warmth while preserving the charm that made Twitty’s original so memorable. It was the kind of performance that didn’t need elaborate production — just a great singer, a classic song and thousands of country fans singing along.
One concertgoer, Kayla Marie, captured the moment and shared it on TikTok. Her video quickly drew nearly 50,000 views and more than 100 comments, with fans praising McCreery’s voice and his tribute to Twitty.
“Scotty’s voice has aged like fine wine…wow.”
Another viewer wrote:
“Fantastic! I loved Conway…you did him good!”
And one fan admitted the performance was their favorite part of the entire set.
But “Hello Darlin’” was only the beginning.
McCreery packed his set with classic country favourites, performing a medley that also featured Randy Travis’ “Forever and Ever, Amen,” Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee,” John Michael Montgomery’s “Sold,” and Garth Brooks’ “Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up).”
Still, there was something especially fitting about opening that medley with “Hello Darlin’” on Valentine’s Day.
For a few minutes, McCreery wasn’t simply covering an old country hit — he was reminding a packed arena exactly why songs like Conway Twitty’s continue to endure.
This Wasn’t The First Time Scotty McCreery Covered Conway Twitty…
Scotty McCreery is no stranger to covering Conway Twitty’s “Hello Darlin’.” The song has been a standard in his setlist for years.
In celebration of its 100th anniversary last year (2025), the Grand Ole Opry revealed a list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs. To no surprise, “Hello Darlin’” landed on the list.
The Opry (of which McCreery has been a member since 2024) asked him to share what makes “Hello Darlin’” so special to him.
“The first two words, the way he says it…Conway had a swagger about him that nobody had, you know?” McCreery said.
He added, “I heard it playing on the record player when I was growing up from my mom, she loved Conway Twitty…’Hello Darlin” was just that classic that we would always go back to.“
RELATED: DID YOU KNOW HOW CONWAY TWITTY CHOSE HIS NAME?
You can watch one of McCreery’s past performances of “Hello Darlin’” at the Opry in the video below. He makes Conway Twitty proud every time he sings it!