Journal & Courier (March 5th 2004)
Blake Shelton to play Riehle Bros
County music embraced singer Blake Shelton and his No. 1 hit "Austin" when he first came on to the scene back in 2001.
Three years later, the 6-foot-5 Ada, Okla., native now lives just west of Nashville, Tenn. He knew he had to work hard to ensure he was no one-album wonder. Shelton is still riding the success of his second No. 1 hit, the heartfelt hit "The Baby." At only 27, Shelton said he felt tremendous pressure already with the song and its album, The Dreamer.
"I was worried about the second album being a flop," said Shelton, before a show in Baltimore. "A lot can go wrong with that sophomore release."
Shelton can be more at ease as "The Baby" and The Dreamer helped him land a coveted opening slot for Toby Keith's recent "Shock'N Ya'll" tour in the fall. He played for crowds of thousands and was able to see what it was like to get to the country superstar level.
"I learned a lot about being in front of gigantic crowds. It showed how big you can get one day," Shelton said. "I definitely saw some things on that tour that looked like an impossibility to me before, but I saw that it could happen."
Now, he is back to headlining shows at smaller venues. Shelton will perform at 8:30 p.m. today at Riehle Bros. Pavilion, 2270 Concord Road.
It wasn't too long ago that Shelton was paying his dues in bars and honky-tonks on Music Row in Nashville.
"That's how it started out, myself and a guitar playing for tips for hours," Shelton recalled. "It's what got me into this."
Shelton's best songs are his "story songs." In the tradition of "A Boy Named Sue," every verse is like a chapter in the linear story in the song. "The Baby" is about a man who took his mother for granted. Shelton said story songs are uncommon on today's country music radio, but good story songs, like "The Baby," are very memorable as they can relate to most any listener.
"The reality of `The Baby' made it a smash," Shelton said. "I was absolutely blown away by it and had tears in my eyes. I hear a lot of songs and few affect me the way that one did."
When Shelton's self-titled disc came out in 2001, he was a fixture on Country Music Television and Great American Country. But this year, a lot of air time is taken up with reality programming, making country music videos less visible.
"I think they're important if done right, but it's harder and harder to get them on the networks," Shelton said. "You have to weigh options to see if they're even worth doing anymore."
Shelton foresees that the more years his career goes, the more his personality will come through. His goal is to create music made for sitting back, drinking a beer and sharing a laugh and a tear with.
"I'm a real laid-back guy, and I think that comes through in my music. I enjoy talking about the simple things in life," said Shelton, who often skipped school to go fishing.
Like many country stars who have come before him, Shelton shares a love for the road. While he wouldn't go as far as to say he'd keep the same busy schedule as Willie Nelson does when he's the Red Headed Stranger's age, he believes he will be a road warrior for a long time.
"We all like to think we have some Willie in us. He's one of the last few gypsies out there," Shelton said. "A couple weeks off, I feel like I need to be somewhere doing a show. It eats at you after a while.
"I love what I do and want to keep doing it."
K105 FM program director Mark Allen caught a Shelton performance in 2002 in Nashville. While Shelton's biggest hits are ballads, Allen said the singer is far from just a "balladeer." He opens up to the crowd and gets rowdy.
"He's a wild child. He's a little out there, and he certainly gets the crowd roaring and pumped," Allen said.
Allen said Shelton has gotten a lot of airplay on his station, and he said Shelton is a superstar in the making.
"To get two No. 1s at this point in his career is pretty dang good to be honest," Allen said.