TODAY (March 2nd 2010)

Country music star Blake Shelton discusses his new CD, "Hillbilly Bone"

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD, co-host: Blake Shelton's got reason to celebrate today. His new CD, called "Hillbilly Bone," is hitting the stores.

HODA KOTB, co-host: But that's not--let's not bury the headline here. The country star was already hard at work this morning with Reba McEntire announcing the nominations for the Academy of Country Music Awards. And guess what?

GIFFORD: Guess what?

KOTB: He earned a nomination for Best Vocal Event for that song, "Hillbilly Bone."

GIFFORD: Congratulations.

Mr. BLAKE SHELTON: Thank you.

GIFFORD: You just keep racking them up.

KOTB: You do.

Mr. SHELTON: Thanks for all y'all's help.

KOTB: We like you. We just...

GIFFORD: You owe your entire career to us, the way I see it.

KOTB: Yes, you do and--yes. Now, "Hillbilly Bone" is a--is a funny song, it's a great song. What does the song mean, by the way? What's the meaning of it?

Mr. SHELTON: Well, I mean, it's not the meaning that we were talking about off camera there, but it's basically it's a song about how no matter who you are, or where you live, I mean, you can right here in New York City and there's something redneck about you.

KOTB: Yeah, there is a little something.

Mr. SHELTON: Yeah, yeah.

KOTB: I like that.

GIFFORD: But you are a hillbilly to the core, wouldn't you say?

Mr. SHELTON: Oh, absolutely.

GIFFORD: Yeah. Yeah.

Mr. SHELTON: I purposely try to buy used underwear. I mean, that doesn't bother me at all. They fit better, you know what I'm saying? That's redneck right there.

GIFFORD: Because you've got to tell Jeff Foxworthy that, right?

Mr. SHELTON: That's a good one.

KOTB: Now your CD is called--you call it a six-pack.

Mr. SHELTON: Yeah.

KOTB: Because--I like this--fewer songs, but more affordable for people to buy, right?

Mr. SHELTON: Yeah, you know, it's no secret that, you know, the record industry they're struggling a little bit because people don't buy albums...

GIFFORD: Yeah, right.

Mr. SHELTON: ...like they used to. They just download the single they want, you know.

GIFFORD: That's true.

Mr. SHELTON: So...

GIFFORD: Got to find a new way to market things.

Mr. SHELTON: Yeah, Warner Bros. had this idea of doing the six-pack and sell it for...

GIFFORD: Smart.

KOTB: How's it going?

Mr. SHELTON: Well, we'll find out today.

KOTB: Today. You won...

GIFFORD: I love Warner Bros. I had a couple of CDs with them and they're--it's a great company steeped in tradition and yet really on the edge.

Mr. SHELTON: Yes, it is. I love them.

GIFFORD: They're great, great people.

Mr. SHELTON: As long as they own me, I love them.

GIFFORD: Well, that's the way I felt, too. Yeah.

KOTB: Well, on the front cover of USA Today in the--in the Living section, there was a nice big article about that. I didn't know it was so revolutionary to have six songs on a--on a CD.

Mr. SHELTON: Yeah, they--they, you know, and I think most places, you know, retail they're selling it for under $6, so...

GIFFORD: Yeah.

Mr. SHELTON: ...it's pretty cool.

GIFFORD: A dollar a song.

Mr. SHELTON: Yeah, basically.

GIFFORD: You know, that's great.

Mr. SHELTON: Which is probably a little more than most people want to spend on my music, but...

GIFFORD: Yeah, is it worth it? I don't know.

Mr. SHELTON: The packaging, you know.

KOTB: That one song's worth it.

Mr. SHELTON: Yeah.

GIFFORD: Speaking of the packaging, your beautiful--you're still with Miranda Lambert, right?

KOTB: Yes.

GIFFORD: That's going well. Do you guys get to even see each other? You're on--touring all the time.

Mr. SHELTON: She's here, she's in New York City right now.

KOTB: Is she here in the studio?

GIFFORD: Oh, good.

Mr. SHELTON: Oh, no. She's actually probably over in Soho about now.

KOTB: Shopping, doing things.

GIFFORD: Oh.

Mr. SHELTON: Yeah, yesterday I got back to the room and, you know, I almost passed out on the bed and she came in with...

KOTB: Bags.

GIFFORD: Bags.

Mr. SHELTON: No, like a cart thing full of boxes and bags and...

GIFFORD: Oh.

KOTB: There you go.

GIFFORD: But you see the good news is, she's got her own money.

Mr. SHELTON: Mm-hmm. Oh, that--she's my retirement. What do you think?

KOTB: What do you like to do when you come to New York?

Mr. SHELTON: I don't--I don't know that much about what's going on around here, to be honest with you. I think we're going to go see a play tonight, or whatever you call it, a musical or whatever you call it.

GIFFORD: You know what you should see?

KOTB: What are you going to see?

GIFFORD: Go see "Memphis." You'll love it's all about...

KOTB: Yeah.

GIFFORD: ...when the blues...

KOTB: It's a great show.

GIFFORD: ...and hillbilly stuff all came together with an interracial love story.

Mr. SHELTON: The blues and the hillbilly stuff. I like that.

GIFFORD: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It merged into--you wouldn't be here...

KOTB: That's her assessment.

GIFFORD: ...you wouldn't be here...

Mr. SHELTON: You are just so full of crap, it's unbelievable. You're full of crap on national television.

GIFFORD: I've made a living at that for years. I'm telling you, you guys will love "Memphis." Am I wrong, Jimmy?

KOTB: No, you will--you will love it.

GIFFORD: You will love "Memphis."

Mr. SHELTON: She said something about "Wicked." I need to go see "Wicked."

KOTB: Yeah, "Wicked"'s good.

GIFFORD: "Wicked"'s good, too, but because of what the world you're in...

Mr. SHELTON: Mm-hmm.

GIFFORD: ...have a little history lesson and have a good time, too.

KOTB: Look at her lecturing you. Congratulations, by the way, on your award today.

Mr. SHELTON: Thank you.

KOTB: That was pretty cool. How'd that feel getting that?

Mr. SHELTON: I don't know--you know, I tell you what...

GIFFORD: He's used to it, he's bored.

KOTB: Yeah.

Mr. SHELTON: No, not at all. I've been doing this for 10 years now, and, of course, you know, we were presenting the things with Reba, now...

GIFFORD: Who's a great girl.

Mr. SHELTON: ...who's been nominated I think she said a little over 700,000 times now.

GIFFORD: Times, yes, yes. And won most of the time, too.

Mr. SHELTON: So she--yeah, exactly.

GIFFORD: Yeah, I'm tired of her.

Mr. SHELTON: And I don't get that stuff so...

KOTB: Hey, Blake, I want you to look...

Mr. SHELTON: ...and I'll be sure and tell her you said that.

KOTB: I want you to look at the fan that you bring out. Turn around.

GIFFORD: Oh, there he is!

KOTB: He's here for you--just for you.

Mr. SHELTON: Oh, wow. That's my...

GIFFORD: Yeah, that is a hillbilly bone.

KOTB: Is he with you?

Mr. SHELTON: Isn't that one of the Oak Ridge Boys? It is.

GIFFORD: It looks like Jim Lee--William Lee.

Mr. SHELTON: It's William Lee Golden, yeah. It is.

GIFFORD: William Lee Golden.

KOTB: Blake, thank you so much.

Mr. SHELTON: Oh, thank you.

GIFFORD: We always have so much fun with you.

KOTB: Good luck with the CD. We love it.

GIFFORD: The best.

Mr. SHELTON: Thank you. I love y'all.

GIFFORD: Say hello to Miranda, too.

KOTB: Thank you.

GIFFORD: All right, up next, Louis Licari steps out of his salon and onto the street armed for a main makeover. That's right after this.

KOTB: Oh, yes.