Scotty McCreery was honored with the Randy Owen Angels Among Us award from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The award recognizes country artists who are committed to their cause. Past recipients include Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, and Florida Georgia Line.

Scotty accepted the award at the Annual St. Jude Country Cares for Kids Seminar (which Annaliese and Jimmy Ray were present for).

“I gotta say, first and foremost, this is such an honor,” he shared in his acceptance speech. “I mean, there’s lot of awards out there that would be cool to win, but this right here kind of stands alone. I think for me, well before I got started in country music, my folks instilled in me the desire to impact people in a positive way. I’ve wanted to do that through my music since I got started and to do that, you have to align yourself with like-minded people, you gotta align yourself with like-minded organizations, and people that are impacting folks in a positive way. St. Jude, y’all are at the top of that list.”

“Thank y’all for being here tonight,” McCreery continued. “Randy, thank you for bringing this country music family together so we can all come together and support St. Jude and their wonderful mission. St. Jude, thank you for your mission in helping these kids, these families here in Memphis, here in this country, and all around the world. Y’all are doing amazing work. Proud to get this award.”

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Scotty, who is expecting his first child, told Country Now the work being done at St. Jude hits even closer to home for him now.  “I think for me, I’m just noticing more things when it comes to kids. I’m noticing strollers that parents are using going through Walmart and just the little things, like how they’re dealing with babies on a plane. So I think for me, whether it’s going to the hospital or seeing the St. Jude commercials or knowing the work that St. Jude is doing in general, through my experience. Then being a dad and in five weeks now, I think I’m gonna be that much more passionate about supporting them and wanting to help these families going through that cause I can’t imagine it.”

(Country Now)