The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Oct. 8th 2010)

It's a big year for Blake Shelton: Opry induction, CMA nominations, No. 1 hits and his wedding

Blake Shelton is in the midst of the biggest year of his career.

And this is a guy who already had four gold albums and five No. 1 country hits on his resume.

But since the beginning of 2010, Shelton's two "Six Pak" albums, "Hillbilly Bone" and "All About Tonight," spawned No. 1 hits with both title tracks; he'll be inducted into the Grand Old Opry at the end of the month ; and Nov. 10, he heads to Nashville to possibly collect a quartet of trophies at the CMA Awards, and, at the very least, perform during the ceremony.

"They'd have to have the National Guard to keep me off the stage," a frank and funny Shelton said recently, calling from his tour bus on the way to a show in Iowa.

Shelton's four nominations are the first he's received since 2003 and he's particularly proud of his Male Vocalist of the Year nod.

"That's the one I've really worked hard for over the years and felt good about. When you buy one of my records and see me live, I give everything I've got," he said. "It drives me crazy when I hear artists live and go, that's the best they can do? It's always driven me to be better and better, and for the industry to finally look at that and recognize me."

It's also somewhat amusing that Shelton is sharing his breakout year on the awards circuit with his fiancee, Miranda Lambert.

"The House That Built Me" singer claimed a record nine nominations, and will battle her betrothed in a couple of them.

But Shelton, 34, is handling the potentially awkward situation with a decisive lack of ego.

"I knew immediately if I was nominated for something I'd be up against her," he said. "She's always been one of the more celebrated artists in the industry. Fans love her, but so does the industry, and she deserves that. If she doesn't win Single and Song of the Year, something's wrong. I appreciate being nominated, it's huge for me, but there's not a better song nominated than 'House.' "

When asked if he'll display his trophies publicly if he wins, Shelton laughs.

"You're damn right I am. I'm gonna build a room to put 'em in."

If Shelton doesn't win for his musical accomplishments, he's the front-runner to score Video of the Year, thanks to the hilariously raucous clip for "Hillbilly Bone," his unapologetic country-boy anthem with buddy Trace Adkins.

Shelton credits Lambert for suggesting Adkins' booming baritone as a vocal complement on the tune and recalled the day of the video shoot.

"The director said, 'I want you to walk into this restaurant like real cocky rednecks,' and me and Trace looked at each other and cracked up and said, 'That's how we'd walk in, anyway!' "

While Shelton is still riding the crest of the already classic live singalong "All About Tonight," (the song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart the last week of August), he's also readying his first greatest hits compilation for release in November and has already cut a handful of new songs for his next album, which likely won't arrive until next fall.

There is another activity taking up some of Shelton's mental space, planning his wedding with Lambert, which he expects will happen in the spring.

Shelton isn't taking the spineless male approach and saddling Lambert with all of the decision-making, but he's also being judicious with his involvement.

"She'll run something by me and I've learned to say, 'That's awesome!' because it makes my life a lot easier," he said with a chuckle. "I mean, I don't want to have no input because that's not fair to her, but she's got some ideas and strong opinions and things she's wanted since she was a little kid, and I want her to do all of those things."

Sounds as if Shelton isn't the only one having a fairy-tale year.