A solid songwriter in his own right, Shelton is getting the hang of playing Nashville's "name that tune," a painstakingly slow and deliberate game in which writers try to get their songs placed with the stars.

Four major country music singers are pooling their tremendous talent for a benefit concert to help feed the hungry.

When back on familiar soil, these songsters make beautiful music at several surprising Oklahoma stomping grounds.

Life's great for Blake Shelton. After all, he just found out two days earlier that his latest single, the catchy "Some Beach" hit the top of the charts, the third time the long, lean Okie has done so.

During the past year, The Star posed the following question to a variety of artists: "What's America's best city for music?"

Blake Shelton is returning to the Grizzly Rose after performing there in 2002. "We played there early on and haven't been back since," Shelton said. "I love that place."

With a Top 20 hit, a great new album and a first wedding anniversary approaching soon, Blake Shelton is enjoying the good life - and talking to the animals.

Shelton's third album gathers songs that could be playing on a jukebox in an imaginary bar. "I can picture every person in every conversation in this bar when I listen to the album," Shelton said.

Singer-songwriter says, "There's no way around it that I'm as country as dirt."

Blake Shelton's next CD is Barn & Grill, due Oct. 26. Bobby Braddock is producer for the collection, which includes a cover of Conway Twitty's "Goodbye Time" and the tongue-in-cheek single "Some Beach."

A tall child who grew to a towering 6 feet 5 inches, it didn't take country singer Blake Shelton long to fill some pretty big boots.

Lately, life for the Ada, Okla., native has been much more hectic than the easygoing country singer is accustomed to.

Blake Shelton isn't in a hurry to score a multitude of big hits every year.

Blake Shelton was only 6 years old when the song hit the charts, but 11 years later, he rode into Music City "with a million-dollar spirit and an old flattop guitar," just like the song says.

With one more recording session still on his calendar, country singer Blake Shelton says the process of making his third album has been a painless experience.

Blake Shelton never had any reservations about heading off to Nashville two weeks after graduating from high school.

Just coming off a tour with superstar Toby Keith and now headlining his own shows, Blake Shelton is on a musical mission propelled by his love of great country songs.

Country music star Blake Shelton (The Baby, Ol' Red, All Over Me) headlines the sixth annual Jammin' To Beat the Blues concert 7-10 p.m. tomorrow at Ryman Auditorium.

It seems the only ingredients he has in the recipe for success are the Wrangler endorsement and the pin-up good looks.

Knowing that college wasn't for him was a risky choice for the then high school graduate Blake Shelton.