Blake Shelton is in perhaps the sweetest spot of his life that he has ever been in. The 49-year-old has had multi-platinum albums and hit singles, as well as starred in a popular TV show, The Voice, for 12 years. Shelton is still making music, recently releasing For Recreational Use Only, Shelton’s 13th studio album. The record includes “Texas,” Shelton’s 30th No. 1 single.
The success has, perhaps surprisingly, not changed Shelton much. He is still the same person who loves country music, although he admits his goals are not at all what they used to be, at least not anymore.
“As much as I love to make music, and to have a job like that, I also have a side of me that also wants to have a life,” Shelton says on Q with Tom Power. “And at some point, you stop. And I don’t mean this to sound in any way – I don’t even know how this would sound – but at some point, you go, man, do I really need to make some more money? Do I really need to be on TV, and in trash magazines?
“What’s more important to me at this point in my life?” he reflects. “And I finally decided it’s being right here where I’m sitting right now … That’s the most important thing, is to be here with my wife and walk out there and water a tomato plant, and just kind of have some calm. Because there’s about 25 years’ worth of noise and stuff I can’t remember, which happens in this business, because it happens so quickly. You’re just like, what the hell happened?”
Blake Shelton’s Life at Home
Shelton is also happily married to Gwen Stefani, and a proud stepfather to her three sons. The blended family divides their time between his Oklahoma ranch and Los Angeles, although for Shelton, home is anywhere Stefani might be.
“It just went by so fast,” Shelton acknowledges. “And I am to a point in my life where I want to look forward to making music, and be excited about when those opportunities come to go play a show in your hometown, because I don’t play that many shows anymore, and I get giddy about it. I literally get excited to think, ‘Oh my God, I get to go do a show this weekend,’ instead of being in the grind of going, ‘Oh my God, we’re doing another [show]? We’ve done four in a row, and I haven’t been home in four months.'”
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Some artists have built successful – and lengthy – careers by spending an extended period of time on the road. That has never been Shelton, and likely will never be.
“I’ve never been one of those road dog kind of guys,” Shelton admits. “I’ve just always been a guy who, I’m obsessed with country music. That’s the God’s honest truth. I’m obsessed with it. I could probably freak you out with stupid knowledge I have about it.”
“I’m a fan of it first,” he continues. “That’s how I feel about it. And everything else falls underneath that. And I’m just as excited to be out here listening to XM radio, and hearing music as I am making it. I get as much joy out of listening to it as I do making it. So as long as I just surround myself with it, I’m pretty happy.”
Blake Shelton’s Future in Country Music
Shelton isn’t done making music. In fact, he has a Top 40 hit with his current single, “Stay Country or Die Tryin’.” He will wants to have success, to release more music, and to perform for his fans. But if it all went away, the Oklahoma native will still be grateful for already far exceeding the biggest dreams he had for himself.
“I’ve checked every box that I thought was imaginable, for a kid who just wanted to be a country singer,” Shelton admits. “And then I’ve checked other ones I didn’t even know existed, as far as what I’ve been able, lucky enough, and blessed enough to do with my career. There’s a peace and a contentment with just going, man, I did it. I did it. And if I get to do it a little more, that’s awesome too, but I can look back and go, man, I really did something. And I had people help me along the way to get me there. And now I want to enjoy that that happened.”
Find “Stay Country or Die Tryin’” and all of Shelton’s music and upcoming shows at BlakeShelton.com.
Photo Credit: CMA / Hunter Berry