Associated Press (June 18th 2003)

Shelton Is Unfazed by Reaction to Songs

Blake Shelton isn't worried that some people may be offended or put off by some of his songs. He says country music can be about real life, and some parts of real life aren't acceptable to some people.

"In order to do something that some people absolutely love, you're going to have to know that some people are going to absolutely hate it. That's something that I've learned to accept," Shelton told AP Radio.

Shelton says he has to create a little passion and controversy to sell records and to be remembered in years to come. "If you don't and you're just kind of playing it in the middle of the road, I don't think you can hope to accomplish a whole lot by doing that," Shelton told AP Radio.

Shelton makes a big impression, opening for Toby Keith's "Shock 'N Y'all" tour. The opening night was Sunday, in Dearborn, Mich., and Shelton's spokeswoman says they played to more than 120,000 people.

Shelton's current song is "Heavy Liftin'."