The Tennessean (May 7th 2007)

Shelton makes changes; he hopes for the better

These days, it's good to be Blake Shelton. The tall, dark, 6-foot-5 country singer has just recorded what he, in his own words, calls the best album of his career.

Pure BS, Shelton's fourth album, hit stores May 1, and his latest single "Don't Make Me" keeps rising on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart; currently it's at No. 15.

But the last two years have been anything but comfortable for the man with the deep dimples and big personality. In February 2006 Shelton ended his marriage to Kaynette Williams, and a few months later sold his Middle Tennessee home and moved back to his native Oklahoma. The move, he said, is one of the best decisions he's ever made. "My plan all along was to move back home eventually, and, after 12 years of being here and going through a divorce, I sure didn't want to be in that house anymore," Shelton said as he sipped a cocktail from a paper cup at his manager's office.

Changing the music

But Shelton wasn't gone for good. The singer came back to Nashville to record, and when he got here, more changes were in store. He swapped personal managers and producers. Bobby Braddock produced Shelton's first three records as well as four songs on the fourth one. But Warner Bros. Records wanted him to try something different on Pure BS. Brent Rowan helped produce the project as did Paul Worley, who is head of A&R at Warner Bros.

"My role on this album was more of an A&R person trying to encourage Blake to go musically where he hadn't gone before," Worley said. "He and Bobby always made wonderful albums, and we didn't want to break that spell, but we wanted him to explore other relationships, too."

"Everything from top to bottom changed," Shelton added. "The only thing I didn't change was Warner Bros. Records. But, I'm in a unique situation because I'm a country singer, and I have an outlet for all of those things I went through and it all ended up on the album. As far as pouring all that emotion into something and getting it out of your body and out of your system, I got a way to do that without having to go to jail."

The result is Pure BS, an honest, convicted collection of songs that showcases Shelton's range of talent and exposes the uncertainty and heartache he has endured recently.

Divorce made songs real

"It's amazing that I'm on my fourth album and for the first time I feel like I've made an album that's about me," he said as he rested his elbows on the table, exposing the tattoo on his forearm.

"For the first time I feel like I'm singing songs about breaking up and heartache and pain and I really feel like I'm a guy who can stand up and sing that stuff and know what I'm talking about. It's amazing what going through a divorce while I'm making an album did for me musically. I think I made the strongest album of my career, and maybe it's going to be hard for me to make an album this good again."

Shelton - who has been dating country singer Miranda Lambert - said there isn't one song on the record that he doesn't relate to on a very intimate level, and that when he was listening to songs for the album he never considered what would be accepted commercially.

"That sounds really stupid to say," he admitted. "But I would rather sing, 'What I Wouldn't Give' because I can't tell you how many nights going through a divorce that you go, 'Man, maybe I'm doing the wrong thing here.' So, all of a sudden I fell in love with a song because I felt someone understood me, and I wanted to record it because of that. I think the whole album ended up being songs just like that. Things ended up being therapy for me."

Written by Charlie Brown, Charley Stefl and Tommy Karlas, "What I Wouldn't Give" paints the picture of a lonely, regretful man who realizes his failed relationship is due to his own shortcomings.

Album has balance

Worley said Shelton and the Warner Bros. team strove to create a comfortable balance on the album of lighthearted ditties and love-gone-wrong songs.

"I think the overall consistency of quality songs on this album is better," Worley said. "This is a guy we believe should be at the top of the heap. He's nice-looking, a great singer, has a great personality, and he's had some hits and some misses. We want to get him three or four hits in a row and once and for all establish him as the kind of artist we know he should be. It just takes time to develop a career in today's climate, and people have to recognize that. You've just got to stick to your guns and keep going."

So with the turmoil of the last two years behind him, Shelton said he has emerged older, wiser and more than anything is just happy it's over.

"Bad personal situations make for great country music," Shelton said. "I'm more concerned about my looks than my health anyway," he said sarcastically.