The Boot (May 3rd 2011)
Blake Shelton has new fans thanks to his ‘Voice’
Blake Shelton is beginning to get recognized for more than just his hit songs. While country fans have known for years how funny the reigning CMA Male Vocalist of the Year is -- especially with the advent of Twitter -- Blake is able to showcase his side-splitting, sarcastic personality on an even bigger level with the hit NBC show, 'The Voice,' bringing the singer unexpected new fans.
"Last [Wednesday] night was the first night I was in Nashville by myself in my truck," Blake tells The Boot. "I've been in the studio all week working. I've kind of been in a hole, and had not seen a lot of people. So, I went to the Tiger Mart/Exxon across the highway, and this was at one o'clock in the morning after I got out of the studio. I walked in there and grabbed a bag of Cheez-Its or something, and I put them up on the counter. I guess it's just because it's country music, a lot of my following has mostly been white people, and there was a cute black girl who was running the cash register. She looked at me and she kind of made this -- she didn't scream -- but it was kind of a 'HEY!' I said, 'Hey.' She said, 'Are you that guy from that show?' I said, 'Yeah, you're damn right I am!'
"It was just so odd to me, because it shows you the power of television," Blake continues. "That's somebody that probably [wouldn't have known who I was], and she even told me, 'Man, I don't listen to country music at all, but I think that's a cool show and you're funny on it, and would you take a picture with me?' It's amazing the impact that thing has already had."
Even Blake's 'Hillbilly Bone' duet partner gave him kudos on the show, before it had premiered. "I had a conversation with Trace Adkins about [a week] ago -- he was calling me to talk about something -- and he said, 'Well, congratulations on that show,'" he recalls. "I said, 'Man, it hasn't aired yet.' He said, 'You already hit a pretty good lick with those commercials.'"
The Oklahoma native praises NBC for the support and promotion the show received months prior to its debut last Tuesday. "I have never seen any network get behind a show like they have this one," says Blake, adding with a laugh, "They're definitely putting their n--s on the line for it!"
'The Voice' returns this Tuesday (May 3) at 9:00 PM ET with the second round of blind auditions, to all four teams led by Blake, Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green and Maroon 5's Adam Levine. The chosen singers then advance to the "battle" round, which will feature notable advisers, including Reba McEntire, who signed up to assist Blake's team.