Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton (born June 18, 1976)[1] is an American country music singer and television personality. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin" from his first album, Blake Shelton. "Austin" spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The now Platinum-certified debut album also produced two more top 20 entries ("All Over Me" and "Ol' Red").[1]
Blake Shelton
- Singer-songwriter
- television personality
2001–present
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Vocals, guitar
His second and third albums, 2003's The Dreamer and 2004's Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill, are gold and platinum, respectively.[1] His fourth album, Pure BS (2007), was re-issued in 2008 with a cover of Michael Bublé's pop hit "Home" as one of the bonus tracks.[2] His fifth album, Startin' Fires was released in November 2008.[1] It was followed by the extended plays Hillbilly Bone and All About Tonight in 2010, and the albums Red River Blue in 2011,[3] Based on a True Story... in 2013, Bringing Back the Sunshine in 2014, If I'm Honest in 2016, Texoma Shore in 2017, and Fully Loaded: God's Country in 2019.
As of December 2020, Shelton has charted 40 singles, including 28 number ones,[4] 17 of which were consecutive. The 11th No. 1 ("Doin' What She Likes") broke "the record for the most consecutive No. 1 singles in the Country Airplay chart's 24-year history".[5] Throughout his career, he has received nine Grammy Award nominations, including two for Best Country Album.[6]
Shelton has been a judge on the televised singing competitions Nashville Star, Clash of the Choirs, and a coach on NBC's The Voice. He was on The Voice from 2011 to 2023, and, in nine of twenty-three seasons (2–4, 7, 11, 13, 18, 20, 22), a member of his team won.
Early life
Blake Tollison Shelton was born in Ada, Oklahoma, to Dorothy Ann (née Bristol) (b. 1936), a beauty salon owner, and Richard Lee "Dick" Shelton (1940–2012), a car salesman. Shelton began singing at an early age and by the age of 12, he was taught how to play the guitar by his uncle.[7] By age 15, he had written his first song. By age 16, he had received a Denbo Diamond Award in his home state.[1] On November 13, 1990, his older brother, Richie Shelton was killed in an automobile accident at 24.
[8] After graduating from high school at 17, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a singing career. There he got a job at a music publishing company and, in 1997, he was aided by Bobby Braddock to obtain a production contract with Sony Music.[9]
Other ventures
Shelton is a partner, along with Ryman Hospitality Properties (the owners of the Grand Ole Opry), in a small chain of restaurants and entertainment complexes called Ole Red. The first Ole Red opened in Shelton's hometown of Tishomingo, Oklahoma, in September 2017. A Nashville location opened in May 2018. A third location in Gatlinburg opened in March 2019. A fourth location in Orlando, Florida, opened in May 2020.[59] A smaller location opened inside Nashville International Airport in 2022, and a location located on the Las Vegas Strip is planned for 2023 or 2024.
Legacy
Since his debut in 2001, Shelton has received positive reviews from musicians and critics. The New York Times described Shelton as "the most important and visible ambassador from Nashville to the American mainstream".[60] Rolling Stone referred to him as "one of country music's biggest stars over the past decade."[61]
In Backstory: Blake Shelton, a GAC television special broadcast in 2012, country stars Miranda Lambert and Trace Adkins respectively gave their kudos to Shelton. Lambert stated she "respect[s] him so much as a vocalist," while Adkins said he "is going to be as relevant in this business as he wants to be for as long as he wants to be."[62][63] Country Music Hall of Fame member Brenda Lee has commended both his vocals and songwriting.[64][65] Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow credits Shelton with inspiring her musically.[66]
Shelton was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2014,[67] and made a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2010.[68]
Headlining
Supporting