The Telegraph-Herald (July 21st 2006)

A lot of country

Country music fans will have a chance to enjoy some old favorites and some new hits at the Dubuque County Fair Saturday, July 29.

Nashville stars Blake Shelton and Joe Diffie will perform at 7 p.m., Saturday, July 29, at the fairgrounds Grandstand Stage. Seating opens at 6.

The two Oklahoma natives haven't had many opportunities to perform together, but they said they admire each other's work and are looking forward to entertaining fans from the tri-state area.

With hits such as "Some Beach" and "Nobody Like Me," Shelton said he's excited about the upcoming release of his second album, which he's hoping will be out in February.

"I can't wait. I'm getting to the point where I'm getting antsy," he said during a phone interview on the road in California. "I want to get on to the next level, and that new music is the way to do it."

Where his previous album, "Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill," was focused on more laid-back music, Shelton said he is working on challenging himself vocally with his new music.

"I'm really trying to extend my range as a singer," he said. "That's the one thing I have to offer is singing and this record I'm really pushing myself."

Themes in his music haven't changed much, though, Shelton said.

"I'm always going to be one of those guys that sings about simple things," he said. "That's who I am as a person, a laid-back guy who just takes it as it comes."

Shelton said his relaxed attitude and familiarity with small towns, farming and hunting are part of the reason he has such a strong fan base in the tri-state area. He hopes his audience is able to enjoy his show and relax as they listen to the music.

"I don't show up ever trying to do anything other than entertain and people walk away with a smile on their face," he said. "That's my job, so I hope people walk away saying, 'Man, I want to get one of his albums, I really enjoyed that.'"

Country music star Joe Diffie also said he appreciates knowing he's helping fans enjoy a night out.

"We don't have any explosions or nothing like that going on," he said during a phone interview from Nashville. "We just try to do music as well as we can. We feel like if we have a lot of fun, hopefully the audience will, too. We're just a wonderful diversion from everyday life."

With hits such as "John Deere Green," "Third Rock from the Sun" and "Bigger Than the Beatles," Diffie rose as a star in Nashville during the '90s and said he is now working on a remake of his greatest hits.

"It gives me more ownership and control over them," he said, adding that he'll "have some new music on there as well."

Diffie said he is particularly looking forward to his Dubuque concert since he'll be in an outdoor venue with fans ready to have some fun.

"I like playing outdoors a lot better than indoors. I don't like all that sound bouncing around," he said. "We always have great experiences with the fans in Iowa ... They seemed very genuine and very friendly."