Blake Shelton

Who Is Blake Shelton?

Born in Ada, Oklahoma, in 1976, Blake Shelton relocated to Nashville at the age of 17 to pursue a career as a country music songwriter. By 2001, he had achieved notable success with his chart-topping hit “Austin.” This marked the beginning of a prosperous career that later included a prominent role as a coach and judge on the television show The Voice starting in 2011. Shelton is a celebrated artist with numerous awards to his name, and he released his 11th studio album, Texoma Shore, in 2017.

Early Years

Blake Tollison Shelton was born on June 18, 1976, in Ada, Oklahoma. By the age of 16, he had begun performing in local bars, earning statewide recognition and winning the Denbo Diamond Award, the highest accolade for young entertainers in Oklahoma. Shortly after graduating high school in 1994, Shelton moved to Nashville to launch his songwriting career.

Albums & Songs

Austin, All Over Me, Ol’ Red

Upon arriving in Nashville, Shelton sold his written songs to various music publishing houses and secured a solo recording contract with Giant Records. His musical style, a blend of blue-collar rock and traditional country ballads, resonated with audiences, and he achieved his first major success with the song “Austin,” which held the No. 1 position on the country charts for five consecutive weeks. In 2002, he released his self-titled debut album under Warner Bros., following the dissolution of Giant Records. The album’s singles, including “All Over Me” and “Ol’ Red,” contributed to its gold certification.

The Dreamer, Pure BS

Shelton’s second album, The Dreamer, was released in February 2003, featuring the hit single “The Baby,” which reached No. 1 on the country charts for three weeks. The subsequent singles, “Heavy Liftin'” and “Playboys of the Southwestern World,” also garnered attention, helping the album achieve gold status. In 2004, Shelton released Blake Shelton’s Barn & Grill, which included the No. 1 single “Some Beach.” The album’s additional singles, “Goodbye Time” and “Nobody but Me,” also entered the top ten, solidifying its success. Alongside the album, he released a video collection titled Blake Shelton’s Barn & Grill: A Video Collection. In early 2007, he released Pure BS, which included top 20 hits “Don’t Make Me” and “The More I Drink.” That year, Shelton made his television debut as a judge on Nashville Star and later appeared on Clash of the Choirs.

Startin’ Fires, Loaded

Shelton’s full-length album Startin’ Fires was released in 2009, followed by EPs Hillbilly Bone and All About Tonight in 2010. He also released his first greatest hits collection, Loaded: The Best of Blake Shelton, that same year, winning multiple awards, including an Academy of Country Music award and a Country Music Association award.

Red River Blue and The Voice

In 2011, Shelton joined the judging panel of the reality singing competition The Voice and released his album Red River Blue, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album produced three No. 1 singles: “Honey Bee,” “God Gave Me You,” and “Drink on It.” In 2012, he returned for the third season of The Voice and released a holiday album, Cheers, It’s Christmas, in October.

Based on a True Story and Bringing Back the Sunshine

In 2013, Shelton released his eighth studio album, Based on a True Story…, while continuing his role as a judge on The Voice. That season, he coached Danielle Bradbery, who won the competition. Shelton received significant accolades at the Country Music Association Awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for Based on a True Story…. He quickly followed this success with Bringing Back the Sunshine in 2014, which featured the hit “Neon Light” and reached the top of both country and pop charts, earning him another CMA Award for Male Vocalist of the Year.

If I’m Honest, Texoma Shore, and God’s Country

Continuing to impress audiences, Shelton released the albums If I’m Honest in 2016 and Texoma Shore in 2017. In late 2019, he released Fully Loaded: God’s Country, which included the 2019 CMA Single of the Year, “God’s Country.”

Personal Life

Shelton married Kaynette Williams in 2003, but the marriage ended in divorce in 2006. He then married fellow country artist Miranda Lambert in 2011. The couple performed together at Super Bowl XLVI in 2012. However, in July 2015, they announced their divorce after four years of marriage, citing that it was not the future they had envisioned. Following his divorce, Shelton began a relationship with fellow The Voice judge Gwen Stefani.

In late 2017, he was named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive,” humorously teasing his The Voice co-star Adam Levine with his newfound title. Shelton and Stefani announced their engagement in October 2020.