Indianapolis Star (April 16th 2004)
Shelton anticipates Expo visit, new album
With one more recording session still on his calendar, country singer Blake Shelton says the process of making his third album has been a painless experience.
He says listeners should detect a new degree of cohesion from song to song, yet he's not about to guarantee a blockbuster single to rival "Austin," "Ol' Red" or "The Baby" -- memorable hits that have earmarked Shelton as a rising artist since the summer of 2001.
"You always feel pressure to re-create success and things like that," he says in a telephone interview. "But I don't know how to do it. I didn't know how I did it the first time, and I certainly haven't learned anything more about what makes a hit.
"I go in and cut things that I think I can sing and that I can believe and I think people will believe."
When the new album arrives in stores later this year, it will be another high-profile release from a male country artist. These are glory days for Nashville's men, and the biggest names are Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney.
To break into that exclusive group, Shelton says, an artist needs to work hard and stay in the public eye.
"I'm always worried about my place in this industry," Shelton says. "It's a fickle business, and my hits have been real inconsistent. I'll have a big record and then one that gets to No. 18 or something, another big one and then two that stiff."
The Oklahoma native should be able to rely on momentum generated on Keith's "Shock'n Y'all" tour. As the primary supporting act, Shelton spent eight months in front of large, energized audiences.
"It's probably the biggest break I've had in this business," he says. "Toby really did a lot for me, whether he knows it or not. Anybody would want that opening slot."
Shelton will play to more modest gatherings in Indiana this weekend. First up is a Saturday performance at the Little Nashville Opry in Brown County. On Sunday, he'll participate in the 10th annual Country Music Expo at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
The 27-year-old says he has fond memories of his 2001 visit to the Expo, where "Austin" -- a brilliant love song based on answering-machine messages -- made its public debut.
On Sunday, Shelton will be working to cultivate interest in his new single, "When Somebody Knows You That Well."
The two-day Expo also will feature appearances by Clint Black, Wynonna Judd and an array of fledgling acts.
Shelton says he's appreciative of event sponsor WFMS-FM (95.5).
"Country music actually matters to the radio station," he says. "You have some stations across the country where it's not about the music. That's sad. But WFMS can have the Expo and have so many artists come out because that's a station we all care about. When they're successful, it means country music is successful."