The Daily Oklahoman (March 2nd 2010)

'We all got a hillbilly bone': Blake Shelton's new album a redneck celebration

Blake Shelton believes every person harbors an inner hillbilly.

As the chorus to his latest hit declares, "We all got a hillbilly bone down deep inside / No matter where you from, you just can't hide it / And when the band starts banging and the fiddle saws / You can't help but hollering, 'Yee haw!'"

"Everybody's got something about 'em that they do that's country, whether they even realize it or not. Whether they live in New York City or Los Angeles or Oklahoma City, there's something about each and every one of us that we do that's redneck, and it's down inside of you somewhere," Shelton said in a recent phone interview from the road in Nashville, Tenn.

"I think everybody can hear that song and laugh about it and say, 'Yeah, that is me.'"

"Hillbilly Bone," his raucous duet with fellow country music star Trace Adkins, is more than one of the most successful singles of Shelton's career, taking just 19 weeks to rollick to No. 6 among Billboard's Hot Country Songs. The song also is the title and lead-off track to his sixth album, out today.

The Ada native is trying out an innovative format with the new album, releasing a "Six Pak" of six new songs for less than $6, with plans to send out another set of six new tracks in August.

"I'm not sure that I can sit here and tell you if I like it yet," he said with a laugh. "But the truth is, it's more of just a reality of the way people buy music these days. You know, album sales are shrinking, and physical albums are just kind of being phased out. ... So, we're just looking for ways to try to inspire people while they're at Walmart or whatever to keep on buying records."

The Tishomingo resident isn't sure how fans will respond to the Six Pak concept. But since his last album, "Startin' Fires," hit stores in fall 2008, the country star sees a chance to express himself in a more timely way.

"I've been doing this for 10 years; I've only had five albums. That averages out once every two years releasing an album. This way, we'll be able to release up to 18 new songs every year. So, I think looking at it that way, fans get way, way more music, and I'm able to constantly be creative and go in and record and do what I love," he said. "It's just getting that much closer to your fans and ... being able to make a record that's about what you're going through right at that moment."

The format may have changed, but the new Six Pak sounds like pure Blake Shelton.

"This whole album is completely just redneck fun," he said. "There's even some little things in between songs ... little funny comedy bits."

Along with the title track, the album includes the defiantly down-home "Kiss My Country A--," the deceptively cheeky ballad "You'll Always Be Beautiful," about loving a woman even when she has a hangover, and the cautionary tale "Delilah," inspired by one of girlfriend Miranda Lambert's dogs.

Last month, Shelton and Lambert, who live on neighboring Tishomingo farms, played a hometown show to help the community's new animal shelter and local veterans groups. Despite snowy weather, the second annual event raised nearly $69,000.

"We don't just live there; we want to give back, basically. And otherwise, an event like that would probably never take place in Tishomingo," he said. "It's fun. ... It's a very unique situation for that community, and I'm proud that it works out."

Shelton, 33, also is proud that after many false starts, he and his pal Adkins finally got to work together. He was inspired to invite his deep-voiced buddy to sing along with him on "Hillbilly Bone" because "it sounded to me like a Trace Adkins song."

"So, it might as well be both of us singing it," Shelton said. "It fits our personalities, and it fits my sense of humor and what people have come to expect from me, which is a little sarcasm and an in-your-face attitude a little bit. But it's all in fun."

Shooting the rowdy music video, which features the pair turning an upscale restaurant into an unpretentious party, also was entertaining. But Adkins noted in a separate interview, "The funniest stuff was cut out really."

"Some of our moments that Trace and I have together aren't even appropriate for each other," Shelton agreed.

"Man, I had an absolute ball. But Trace and I's biggest problem when we get together is just trying to keep our language clean; it's almost like who can insult each other the worst."