Blake Shelton just wrapped up his inaugural season on The Road. The show, which was executive-produced by Shelton and TV mogul Taylor Sheridan, is the brainchild of Shelton, who wanted to use his experience as a coach on The Voice in a different form of a reality TV talent show.
On The Road, 12 contestants had to try to win over the crowd of the headliner they were opening for, which happened to be Keith Urban. Adam Sanders was crowned this year’s winner. The Road also featured Gretchen Wilson as the road manager.
“I haven’t heard anything yet,” the Oklahoma native says on Country Countdown USA. “I’m usually on the fringe of things. The smart people are behind the curtain. I didn’t even know that Taylor has this new deal with Universal. I hope it comes back. I think people enjoyed it. I always know people are watching it when I go to the feed store, and people ask me about it.”
Courtesy of CBS
What Blake Shelton Says About Adam Sanders Winning ‘The Road’
Sanders was already a seasoned singer-songwriter, penning songs for artists like Cole Swindell, Dierks Bentley, Dustin Lynch, Luke Bryan, and others. Shelton now says he isn’t at all surprised that Sanders won The Road.
“When Adam walked in, I thought he was an established superstar,” Shelton says. “He knows what he needs to do, and how he was going to do it. He was able to win people over. He was always in the Top 3. It was inevitable that by the time he got to the Ryman, he knew what he was going to do. Obviously, he was going to win the show.”
Blake Shelton Celebrates His 31st No. 1 Single
Shelton has more to celebrate than a successful Season 1 of The Road. He is also celebrating having his 31st No. 1 single, with “Stay Country or Die Tryin’.” The song is on his For Recreational Use Only album, out in 2025. The news comes as Shelton is preparing to kick off his Live in Vegas residency, which begins on January 15.
“I’ve been around long enough to know you never take moments like this for granted, and a No. 1 radio single is always worth celebrating,” Shelton says of the accomplishment. “I love this song, and I’m so grateful the fans do too. There’s no better way to kick off the Vegas residency on Thursday than with ‘Stay Country or Die Tryin’’ at the top of the charts.”
Written by Drew Parker, Graham Barham, Sam Ellis, and Beau Bailey, Shelton knew as soon as he heard it that he wanted to record it.
“When I heard ‘Stay Country or Die Tryin,’’ it took me back to the first time I heard ‘Ol’ Red’ or ‘God’s Country,’” says the singer. “It’s got so much energy and is full of those little catchphrases and things we say out in the country. I absolutely fell in love with it. I’m proud of this recording—and I love singing it live even more.”
Photo Credit: CBS / Karla Gotcher