The Star-Gazette (July 24th 2008)
Listen to BS at Chemung County Fair
Despite his exploding celebrity, Blake Shelton still answers the phone as if he's known the person on the other end for years.
"It's Blake. How ya doin'?" he asks with gusto. "Is that an Alabama accent?"
For the record, I've lived in Elmira my whole life - and talk like it, too. But before I could analyze whether or not I had maybe started imitating Shelton's thick Oklahoma drawl, he said, "I was just kiddin'."
It's no mistake that his most recent album is called "Pure BS"; Shelton's initials serve him well. "I'm full of s---," he says, frankly. "Most people who know me know I joke around all the time."
You can catch some of the country star's antics for yourself at 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 30, at the Chemung County Fair. (Tickets are $20, $30 or $35; call the box office at 734-1203.)
You may have heard Shelton's rendition of Michael BublA(c)'s song "Home," a No. 1 hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.
Shelton admits he didn't know what he was getting into when he chose to cover the song. "'Home' sounded more country to me than [BublA(c)'s] other songs. It stuck out to me," he said. "I played it at a couple of shows, then we recorded it ... the record company heard it and wanted to release it immediately."
The track, originally intended as a single, appeared on this year's re-issue of "Pure BS" because of its overwhelming success. It's also part of a collector's-edition compilation of Shelton's greatest hits.
In addition to his success in country music, including four albums and several hit songs, he's also tried his hand at television. Shelton judged a season of the singing competition "Nashville Star" and appeared on 2007's "Clash of the Choirs" for charity. It's unlikely he'll appear on another reality show, though.
"I've been there and done that," Shelton said. "I don't want to be one of those people who's on every reality show. It has nothing to do with my career."
However, Shelton doesn't rule out other appearances. "I'll probably do more TV or maybe movies, but it's not like people are throwing those kinds of jobs at me," he said.
Besides, Shelton probably doesn't have the time to appear on TV. This summer, he's juggled touring, recording a new album and spending time with family and his girlfriend, fellow country singer Miranda Lambert, who's doing a tour of her own. "Spare time is not something we think about," Shelton said. "We get to a venue, the crew sets up, I do a sound check, a meet-and-greet, do the show and then we get back on the bus and go to the next town."
When Shelton does have time, he enjoys helping others. Raindance, a concert benefit he put together, assists people in his home state of Oklahoma who've been victims of natural disasters. "We had floods this year, wildfires, and of course, there's tornado season in between that," Shelton said. "People always need help ... if someone needs me, if I've got the time, I'll do it."
In the meantime, Shelton has big plans for after his tour and next album, which should be recorded by summer's end.
"I just want to sit in my tree stand, listening to birds and waiting for a deer to walk by."