Blake Shelton

From Toasted Rav

Blake Tollison Shelton (born June 18, 1976 in Ada, Oklahoma[2]) is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. This song was the first single from his gold-certified debut album, which also produced two more Top 20 hits.

His second and third albums, 2003's The Dreamer and 2004's Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill, were each certified gold as well. Shelton's fourth album, Pure BS, was issued in 2007, and re-issued in 2008 with a cover of Michael Bublé's song "Home" as one of the bonus tracks. This cover was also that album's third single. A fifth album, Startin' Fires, was released in November 2008.

Overall, Shelton has charted a total of fourteen singles on the country charts, including four Number One hits: "Austin" (2001), "The Baby" (2003), "Some Beach (2004-2005), and "Home" (2008). Besides these, he has charted two more Top Ten hits in the #10 "Goodbye Time" (a cover of the Conway Twitty song) and the #4 "Nobody but Me".

After several years in Nashville, he signed to Giant Records in 1998. In 2001, he was slated to release a song entitled "I Wanna Talk About Me" as a single. Staff at the label considered the song unsuitable for a lead-off single, however, and the song was eventually recorded by Toby Keith, whose version was a Number One hit.[3]

Instead, Giant released "Austin" as Shelton's debut single. Shortly after its release, however, Giant Records was dissolved, and Shelton was transferred to Warner Bros. Records, the parent company. "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts. This song was the single from his self-titled debut album, which also produced the #18-peaking "All Over Me" and the #14-peaking "Ol' Red". The album was certified gold by the RIAA.[2]

Shelton's second album, The Dreamer, was first released on February 4, 2003 on Warner Bros. Records. Its lead-off single, "The Baby", reached Number One on the country charts, holding that position for three weeks. Although the second and third singles ("Heavy Liftin'" and "Playboys of the Southwestern World", respectively) only reached #24 and #32, The Dreamer earned gold certification as well.

Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill was the title of Shelton's third studio album, released in 2004.[2] Its lead-off single, the Harley Allen co-write "When Somebody Knows You That Well", peaked at #37 on the country charts, while the follow-up "Some Beach" went on to become his third Number One hit, holding the Number One position for four weeks. This single was followed by a cover of Conway Twitty's 1988 single "Goodbye Time".[4] Both this cover and its followup, "Nobody but Me", reached Top Ten for Shelton as well. As with his first two albums, Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill was certified gold. Accompanying the album's release was a video collection entitled Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill: A Video Collection.[2]

On December 18, 2005, several of Shelton's songs, including "Nobody but Me", appeared on the TV movie The Christmas Blessing, starring Neil Patrick Harris, Rebecca Gayheart, Angus T. Jones, and Rob Lowe. Shelton had a small role at the end of the movie, playing himself at a benefit concert, singing "Nobody but Me".

2007-present

Shelton issued his fourth studio album, Pure BS, in early 2007.[2] Unlike with his first three albums, which were produced entirely by Bobby Braddock, Shelton worked with Braddock, Brent Rowan, and Paul Worley as producers for this album. Its first two singles — "Don't Make Me" and "The More I Drink" — were both Top 20 hits on the country charts, respectively reaching #12 and #19. Also in late 2007, Shelton made appearances on television shows: first as a judge on the talent competition Nashville Star, and later on Clash of the Choirs.

In January 2008, Shelton announced that he would release a cover of pop singer Michael Bublé's 2005 single "Home". Shelton's rendition was included on a re-issue of Pure BS,[5] and in July 2008, this cover became the fourth Number One hit of his career.[6]

"Home" was followed in August 2008 by the single "She Wouldn't Be Gone", the lead-off to Shelton's fifth studio album entitled Startin' Fires. This album also includes a duet with Lambert.[7]

Personal life

Shelton married longtime girlfriend Kaynette Williams on November 17, 2003. They were divorced in 2006. As of 2007, he began dating fellow country singer Miranda Lambert, whom he met at the CMT's 100 Greatest Duets Concert. [8] Lambert also sang background vocals on "Home".