The Boot (Sept. 23rd 2011)

Blake Shelton wishes country would take collaboration cues from other genres

While Blake Shelton's latest single, 'God Gave Me You,' sits at No. 8 on the Billboard country charts, it's time to start thinking about which track from 'Red River Blue' will be his next single. Blake would like to cast his vote for one of the rowdier songs on the album. "It's a tie between 'Get Some' and 'Drink On It,'' he tells The Boot.

While most record labels only release three to five songs per album to radio, Blake is hoping the powers-that-be will bend the rules with his latest project.

"I don't even plan on thinking about making another record for at least a year or so," insists the singer. "So hopefully we can release a lot of these songs, especially since they're going [up the charts] a little quicker these days."

One song the Oklahoma native doubts will ever get radio airplay is the title track, a duet with wife Miranda Lambert. He blames "record label B.S." for that fact, as it's always hard to cut through the red tape when a song features artists from different labels. (Blake is with Warner Music Nashville, while Miranda is signed to Sony Music Nashville.)

"I never realized until the last couple of years, when you're not on the same label as another artist and you record together, it almost takes a miracle," Blake explains. "It's a thousand wonders that it worked out with 'Hillbilly Bone,' because looking back, Trace [Adkins] probably knew he was leaving his label [Capitol Records] and then everything worked out where it could be a single. Otherwise, that probably would have never happened, and I can't imagine where my career would be without that song.

"That's one of the things that drive me and Miranda crazy about Nashville," he continues, "the fact that it's so hard to collaborate with people. Look at other genres, and that's almost all they do! It seems like they know what they're doing, as far as selling a lot of music. So it's frustrating."

All sour grapes aside, Blake is thrilled with both the critical and fan reception of 'Red River Blue.' Its first single, 'Honey Bee,' was the fastest-rising song of his career. The second, 'God Gave Me You,' is not far behind, hitting the Top 10 after just 11 weeks.