Country Countdown USA (June 17th 2018)
Blake Shelton On Kelly Win
Blake Shelton’s team has won The Voice six times, more than any other coach. However, he was prevented from repeating this last season by first-time coach, and long-time friend, Kelly Clarkson. Blake talked about the experience with Country Countdown USA’s Lon Helton:
“Before the season began, I said I’m going to allow her to win. Because it’s my show, I own it. I decided to lay back and let the kid win one, just so she had her confidence up. Because it’s more fun to beat someone when their confidence is up, than to kick em when they’re down. So this next season, when I beat her, it will be an extra shocking smack to the forehead for her.”
You’ve known each other for a long time, so the chemistry was there from the beginning, where she could pick on you, but if Adam picked on you, she was on your side: “She is like a sister to me, and I don’t think of her in any other way. We are literally like family, and don’t hold back, and that works on that show.”
It looked like she had a good time: “She did. I haven’t said that it’s cool that she won, because I don’t know that any of us put as much overtime in it as she did. During CMA Fest week, I saw her walking around the CMT Awards with one of her contestants. She was showing them around backstage. When she says she’s gonna take care of someone, she does.”
What is the next season? “Fifteen.” How many singers do you think you’ve seen? “I’m gonna say we see 80-100 in the blind auditions, so that’s a thousand singers.” How do you stay excited? “It’s just the unknown nature of it. By the end of the season, you’re definitely tired and there’s no way not to be a little burned out and ready for a break. But as the blind auditions are coming up, I start getting excited about it. Then that moment that now has happened so many times, you hear those footsteps behind you on that stage, you don’t know if that’s the next Carrie Underwood or the next Kelly Clarkson, because they’re out there and just need that break or opportunity.”
Blake Shelton Opens Ole Red
Blake Shelton picked a good week to open his Nashville bar & restaurant Ole Red. It was CMA Fest week, when about 100,000 country fans come to Nashville for almost endless live music. Blake didn’t disappoint, with a full day of activities, including an all-star concert after the CMT Awards. Blake talked about it with Country Countdown USA’s Lon Helton:
“It’s a lot of fun, I ain’t gonna lie, and thank God I have partners with the Ryman people, who actually do almost everything, so I get to do all the fun things like booking talent, popping in whenever I want to, and maybe have a say-so about cheese dip. But I let them handle the nuts & bolts. But I’m so proud of it, and when CMT says to me, hey would you be part of the opening of the show? I go, do you mind if we do it in front of Ole Red?”
You also have one in Tishomingo, right? Yes, and we have music there too. We’ve had three different Voice contestants there, including The Swan Brothers and Lauren Duskey. The problem is these kids come off The Voice and they don’t have an hour worth of music yet.”
Do you drop in? “I’ve performed there three times, and I’ve stopped in, but it kind of disrupts the flow of work, which is fun, but I don’t know how much the workers appreciate it. I try to stop in, but I’m not home as often, being in LA a lot. I stop by whenever I can.”