Blake Shelton On 60 Minutes

Nora O'Donnell did a terrific profile (click to watch it),

Shelton, whose new album debuted at No. 1, says the reason the music is so popular is because its listeners and artists share a bond. “It's not just our music, I think, that people feel like they can relate to. But it's us. It's the artists that they feel like they can relate to,”  he says.  “I know for me when I go home I hunt, I fish, and I plant corn, and I drive back roads.  I literally do the things that I sing about.”

For the profile, O’Donnell went on tour with Shelton, attending a concert in Little Rock, Ark., and then accompanies him to his home town of Ada, Okla.   There, Shelton drove her around to see the sights, including an apartment he once shared with his father in the lean years before he left for Nashville.  He sits down with her for a long interview on stage at the McSwain Theater in downtown Ada.  

Shelton’s current single “Neon Light” is No. 2 on the country charts and fans will also be able to catch him performing on this year’s CMA Awards, where he is up for 3 nominations including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Single of the Year for “Mine Would Be You.”

Blake Shelton Brings Sunshine To Water Tower Town

A Tweet from Blake:  Ahhhh!!!! It's this Tuesday!! My new album comes out THIS Tuesday!!!!! This calls for a drink. #BRINGINGBACKTHESUNSHINE

Newcomer Thankful To Be Part of Camp Lambert and Shelton

RaeLynn was part of Blake Shelton’s team on season two of The Voice, and she says ever since leaving the show, Blake and Miranda Lambert have become like family to her.

“I guess you could say that I’ve been adopted into the Blake Shelton and Miranda camp,” says RaeLynn. “I’m so blessed to have them in my life. They literally have taught me so much about the music industry and about staying true to myself, and about how it doesn’t come easy.”

Country's "new girl" says Blake and Miranda have been especially good at helping her remain patient over the last two years while she’s been working on her album and getting anxious for people to hear her music. They’ve also been very supportive of her career. “They are my biggest fans, besides my family. I just don’t know what I would do without Camp Lambert and Shelton. I love them so much.”

Besides Blake and Miranda’s support, RaeLynn also has the support of their families. “Miranda’s Mom and Dad are very involved in my career too. Miranda’s Mom does my merch, she does me and Miranda’s merch. I’m just super thankful to have them in my life. I honestly can say I would not be where I am in my career if it wasn’t for Blake and Miranda, with all their support.”

RaeLynn’s debut album, featuring her brand new single, “God Made Girls,” is set to be released later this year.

Las Vegas Goes Country

The ACM Awards are Sunday, hosted by Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton (listed in alpha order so as to avoid fisticuffs).  The city is ready!

It's Almost ACM Awards Time: Let The Luke-Blake Teasing Begin!

All the behind-the-scenes buzz is here.

Blake Shelton Announces Madison Square Garden, Wrigley Field and Hollywood Bowl Dates

The five-time ACM nominee, including a nod for Entertainer of the Year, announced show dates and venues for his Ten Times Crazier Tour 2014. 

The tour kicks off June 20th at austin360 Amphitheatre in Austin, Tx., and will make stops including Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill., Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Calif., and Madison Square Garden in New York, Ny. (full list of cities and dates here). 

The first shows to begin fan club pre-sales include San Diego, Fresno and Los Angeles, Calif. on Feb 25th at 8pmCT, immediately following NBC’s The Voice (click to see the latest gossip about that here). 

Blake is donating $1 from every fan club presale ticket sold to the Academy of Country Music’s Lifting Lives Foundation through his “Blake is #TenTimesCrazier!” Thunderclap campaign. Supporters will be automatically entered to win 2 tickets and a backstage meet & greet with Blake at a nearby show. Pre-sale announcements will continue throughout Spring 2014.

MusicRow Reveals 12th Annual CountryBreakout Award Winners

MusicRow Magazine presented its 12th Annual CountryBreakout Awards in front of a standing-room-only audience at Margaritaville in Nashville on Feb. 18, 2014. The awards recognize success on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart, the leading secondary radio chart, during the preceding year (January-December 2013). The radio awards ceremony has become the unofficial kick-off to the Country Radio Seminar, which annually attracts radio programmers from around the country.

Receiving recognition for the most radio spins in their respective categories were Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, The Band Perry, Kacey Musgraves, Tracy Lawrence and record label Capitol Nashville.

Blake Shelton Brings A Gift; Jay Leno Bids Farewell With Garth Brooks' "The Dance"

Garth says it all for ALL of us!

Blake got emotional:

"The Voice" Returns After The Olympics With A Little Help For Team Blake

On the heels of their dynamic performance on the NFL and Fox's Super Bowl LXVIII Tailgate pregame show, it was announced today that sibling trio The Band Perry will be advising Blake Shelton's team during the "Battle Rounds" on Season Six of NBC's The Voice.  Tune into the season premiere of The Voice, Monday, February 24, 2014 at 8PM EST / 7PM CST on NBC.

"Blake didn't have to ask us twice if we wanted to mentor his team this season on The Voice, " said The Band Perry.  "It was so much fun to work with Team Blake, and after 15 years of receiving plenty of 'constructive criticism,' it was our turn to pay it forward.  We just hope we were as helpful to Blake's team as our own mentors have been to us through the years."

It was also announced the award-winning family trio will be featured on the 40th Anniversary re-mastered edition of Elton John's 1973 seminal breakthrough album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, with their version of the song "Grey Seal."  The reissued CD will be released March 24, 2014 by Universal Music Catalogue / Mercury on CD, vinyl, limited-edition yellow vinyl, and in a box set featuring recording of 'Live At Hammersmith 1973' on CD, a DVD of Bryan Forbes' 1973 film 'Elton John and Bernie Taupin Say Goodbye To Norma Jean and Other Things', along with a 100-page illustrated hardback book packed with rare photos, memorabilia and new essay containing interviews with Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

 "Elton John is a musical hero of ours, and to be included in a project with him is something that is beyond our wildest dreams," said the band.

Last week, The Band Perry received two award nominations from the Academy of Country Music for "Vocal Group of The Year" and "Music Video of The Year" for their #1 smash "Better Dig Two." In 2012 and 2013 the band received nominations in the "Vocal Group of the Year" category. In 2011, the award-winning trio was nominated for five Academy of Country Music Awards and won, "New Artist of the Year" and "best new vocal duo or group."

The Band Perry is currently on the road on their WE ARE PIONEERS WORLD TOUR.with Canadian Lindsay Ell opening.

Tickets On Sale Soon For The 49th Annual ACM Awards Events

BLAKE SHELTON and LUKE BRYAN are again co-hosting the 49^TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS.

Country Music’s Party of the Year®, the 49^TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, honoring country music’s best and introducing the industry’s hottest emerging talent, will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 6, 2014.

ACM award-winning duo Florida Georgia Line will host the 4TH ANNUAL ACM FAN JAM at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Sunday, April 6, 2014. This live remote location gives country music lovers the ultimate fan-pass to be a part of the 49TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS! Throughout the three-hour Awards telecast from MGM Grand, there will be live ACM FAN JAM performances, via remote from the Mandalay Bay Events Center, by Florida Georgia Line and other top-tier music acts. The ACM FAN JAM continues after the Awards telecast ends, with performances by Florida Georgia Line.

The after-show party, ACM’s annual ALL-STAR JAM, held in the MGM Grand Marquee Ballroom, is the place to be immediately following the ACM Awards.

Stay over Monday, April 7, 2014, after the ACM Awards for another star-studded night!  For the past five years, the Academy has taped ACM PRESENTS, a special televised concert featuring and honoring artists such as George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, Lionel Richie, Tim McGraw, and many others.  The Academy helps to fund ACM Lifting Lives through our televised specials. Each year, ACM Lifting Lives provides grants to music therapy and music education programs and helps endorse and contribute to country music artists’ favorite causes.  Proceeds from this special event benefit ACM Lifting Lives.  Stay tuned for more information on details about this special.

The Academy will announce its full schedule of The Week Vegas Goes Country® events in the coming weeks, which will include the ACM PARTY FOR A CAUSE FESTIVAL, a ticketed outdoor music festival featuring country’s top hit makers, to be held April 4-6, 2014 in Las Vegas.  This country music festival will once again feature LIVE country music performances from some of the biggest stars in the business, along with interactive games and a shopper’s paradise and country marketplace -- much, much more to be announced. 

Talent line-up and ticket on-sale will be announced in January 2014.

No, They're NOT. (At Least Not YET)

Life & Style magazine reports that Lambert's actually pregnant! The gossip rag's recent cover issue blares the headline:

"Blake & Miranda: 'Yes, we're having a baby!' Happier and more in love than ever, Blake and Miranda share their pregnancy joy with friends and family."

But here's the catch, according to MStarz... Lambert is not actually preggo. The popular country music couple just WANT to have a baby soon (allegedly).

"Blake and Miranda are trying for a baby... It will happen when it's meant to happen," an insider claims. They're hoping to get pregnant "by the end of the year."

Less Than A Month To The CMA Awards

In addition to celebrating the Country genre by honoring the best in the format with industry voted awards, the CMA Awards are also home to some of the most memorable performances and collaborations in music.

The first round of performers hitting the stage this year include Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.

ACM Honors Tuesday Night

The 7th Annual ACM Honors is shaping up to be an incredible evening! Dierks Bentley is amped up about hosting the event, and YOU can be a part of it with us. Why listen to us? 

 

Hear it straight from Dierks. WATCH HERE

 

ACM Honors will take place Tuesday, September 10th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The evening is dedicated to recognizing the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. Honorees include Special Award recipients Jason Aldean, Guy Clark, Blake Shelton, Tommy Wiggins, Lady Antebellum and The Judds. Keith Whitley and Hank Williams will also be honored posthumously.

 

Performers for the night include Dierks, Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill & Paul Franklin, Kree Harrison, Dave Haywood & Charles Kelley, Jamey Johnson, Robert Earl Keen, Lorrie Morgan, Jesse Keith Whitley, Chris Young, The Mavericks and Thompson Square. Presenters include Big & Rich, Deana Carter, Vince Gill, David Nail, Darius Rucker, Don Schlitz and Steve Wariner.

65,000+ Attend; "Today, The Healing Begins"

Garth Brooks made the statement which says it all for the star-studded benefit with all funds going to United Way.

Ronnie Dunn closes his set on Saturday, July 6, 2013 at The Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert at the University of Oklahoma's Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. with "Peace, Love and Country Music." Over 65,000 concertgoers were in attendance with many waving American flags while Dunn proudly displayed the Oklahoma state flag.

Donations are being accepted online via the United Way homepage at www.unitedwayokc.org or by texting REBUILD to 52000 which will give an automatic $10 donation to the United Way of Central Oklahoma's May Tornado Relief Fund.

Twitter: #TKOKrelief

The Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert is now less than one week away!

Tickets have completely sold out, with net proceeds (minus only credit card merchant fees and OK sales tax) benefiting The United Way of Central Oklahoma May Tornadoes Relief Fund.

Country Aircheck:  "I got old memories of that place," Toby Keith says regarding the University of Oklahoma's Stadium. "I was raised inside of 10 miles of that stadium, I sold Cokes in that stadium when I was 13." The Norman, OK venue plays host to Toby's Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert July 6, and he says his former workplace reached out with open arms to make itself available for the star-studded event. "I made a few phone calls, got Garth Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Trisha Yearwood, Sammy Hagar, Willie Nelson, Mel Tillis, John Anderson, and we just added Carrie Underwood." Carrie plays the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville the same night and plans to join the Oklahoma proceedings via satellite. "She wanted to participate, and we’ve got some other guests that are gonna work between the sets that are going to surprise people."

If you were unable to get tickets and would like to do something to help with the rebuilding of Moore, and the surrounding communities affected by the tornadoes in May, you can still help!  Verizon Wireless is offering a text-to-donate capability before, during and after the benefit concert.   Customers of any wireless carrier may donate by texting the keyword REBUILD to 52000, which will give an automatic $ 10 donation to the United Way of Central Oklahoma's May Tornadoes Relief Fund. Verizon Wireless customers will be limited to five text donations. Donations are also being accepted online via the United Way home page at www.unitedwayokc.org. To give by credit card, call 405-523-3598, 405-523-3597, or the United Way of Central Oklahoma's main number: 405-236-8441. Checks may be mailed to the United Way of Central Oklahoma, P.O. Box 837, Oklahoma City, OK 73101 with notation for May Tornadoes Relief.

Thank you for your support of the great people of Oklahoma!

The Voice Winner Signs Record Deal

Danielle Bradbery from Team Blake was crowned the winner of The Voice and wasted no time in signing a record deal, as she joins the Big Machine family, making the gossip blogs already start chatting about "another Taylor."

Read the full story here and see her post-win interview with Jay Leno here.

 

Blake Helps Country Take Over "The Voice"

After a whirlwind appearance at CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Blake Shelton jetted back to L.A. for Monday’s (June 10) semifinals round of NBC's The Voice.

Funny thing, reporters asked Blake over the weekend, The Voice—which also has rocker Adam Levine and pop stars Usher and Shakira for coaches—seems to have lots more country music on there lately.

“Well, it sure seems like that, especially with the other coaches last week having all their artists do country songs, it’s kind of turned into the country version of The Voice,” Blake said.

“And I read a few articles about people saying the whole format has kind of shifted country, and my answer to that is, ‘You’re damn right.’”

 -- Country Weekly

Oklahoma reacts to 'Healing in the Heartland' performance, Miranda Lambert reacts with tears

Daily Oklahoman's Emma Riley Sutton reports 'the Miranda Lambert tears did not go unnoticed during her performance on “Healing in the Heartland” on May 29. That is especially true of those in Oklahoma who watched her struggle to sing “The House that Built Me.”

'In interviews conducted on May 29 and May 30, Oklahoma shared their thoughts about Miranda Lambert's tears as she sang for them and their recovery effort after the tornadoes of May 19 and May 20.'

To donate, click here (Ebay's auction, which benefits United Way and 100% of the money goes to victims).

Blake is constantly updating info on it, of course.

Blake And Miranda Go All Out For Moore

Watch Blake and Miranda's heartfelt tribute performance of "Over You" during The Voice:

 
Shelton says that he is putting together an NBC-TV benefit concert.

Artists React To Moore, Oklahoma Storm

Country Aircheck reports:

Miranda Lambert will join Blake Shelton tonight (5/21) on The Voice to perform an acoustic version of "Over You" and urge donations for recovery. "They're going through hell there right now," Shelton said as the program aired live last night. "Lot of fatalities, lot of children. It makes it hard to actually sit here and do this tonight, but [I've] got a job to do and my team's counting on me, so here I am." Other Oklahoma natives and residents have expressed sympathy and concern via social media:

• Carrie Underwood: "Growing up in tornado alley, you always know what could happen ... it doesn't change how devastating it is when something does happen. #pray" 
• Joe Don Rooney: "My thoughts & prayers are with my home state of Oklahoma. May God's love & grace be with all affected by these horrible storms."
• Reba: "All my prayers go out to the folks in Oklahoma dealing with these tornados.  Stay safe everyone!" 
• Trisha Yearwood: "Pray for everyone devastated by these storms, but especially for those families in Moore, OK right now … God, wrap your arms around this community."