Wyoming Tribune-Eagle (Nov. 12th 2004)

Blake Shelton comes out of hibernation

Blake Shelton is returning to the Grizzly Rose after performing there in 2002.

"We played there early on and haven't been back since," Shelton said. "I love that place."

Shelton said he remembers hearing about the Grizzly Rose early in his career when he was playing in Oklahoma clubs.

"Once I got there I felt I had come a long way," Shelton said. "There's a lot of history around it. It's one of the last real honky tonks left, and also in Denver there's a big country music fan base around there, so there's another reason why it has such a strong following with artists."

His CD, "Barn and Grill," was released Oct. 26.

Shelton performed with Chris LeDoux on July 4 at this year's Greeley Stampede.

"I ran into people from Colorado in the past month or two, in airports, believe it or not, who tell me they're going to be at the Grizzly Rose show," Shelton said.

Shelton still plays at a few bars around the country.

"There are so many people from Denver who travel, and I see them in airports a lot," Shelton said.

Many of these fans stop Shelton to say hello.

"It's a good sign that I'm doing something they like," he said. "They stop you in an airport and want to talk to you. I always think it's cool."

But Shelton does have a pet peeve when it comes to fans.

"When someone walks up with a cell phone and wants you to talk to somebody they've called. It's my biggest pet peeve, I think," he said. "I don't know, it just makes me uncomfortable and always does."

However, Shelton doesn't mind being stopped once in a while.

He said he likes to accommodate fans.

Shelton and his wife, Kaynette "Katt" Williams, will be celebrating their first anniversary on Nov. 17.

Williams travels with Shelton and assists him with some of the business side of his music.

"She's been out with us for a couple of years now," Shelton said. "She pretty much does everything. It's hard to put a title on it."

He said Williams has adjusted to being on the road.

"She does it well, but like for all of us, it gets old after a while," Shelton said. "We still do 140 shows. We're always looking forward to a break."

Shelton and crew take a week of vacation Thanksgiving and Christmas and the band doesn't have much going on during the first part of the year.

"It's a good time to regroup," Shelton said.

Shelton and Williams will be returning to the couple's hometown of Ada, Okla.

"All of our family is in one place," Shelton said. "Our tradition is always finding time to spend time with both of our bunches. We don't have a special tradition. We always are just having to play it by ear and wing it and make plans after we get there."