Scotty McCreery performs ‘Letters from Home’ for semifinalist competition

The audience was bigger and, of course, the stakes much higher.
McCreery was the eighth singer to perform, introduced by host Ryan Seacrest as “Garner, North Carolina’s hometown hero.”
McCreery sat on a stool and sang “Letters From Home” by John Michael Montgomery. The song ended on a high note, literally — or at least a higher note than we’re used to hearing from this deep-voiced country singer.
The song was warmly received by the audience  — many jumped to their feet at the end — and by the judges.
“I don’t think you could have picked a better song,” Steven Tyler said. “You did it again.”
Jennifer Lopez recalled that McCreery had said he wouldn’t have let himself go through to the next roun. She disagreed, and this performance is why, she said.
“You were born to sing country music.”
Presumably impressed that McCreery nailed a tune not originally performed by Josh Turner, Randy Jackson said, “Love that you switched it up.”
As he first pointed out in  Jackson said again that McCreery is a “throwback country guy.”