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- [00:07]
Blake Shelton
I didn't really understand there's a difference in a Hank Jr crowd. Even though they might be the same crowd that would come to see me, when they come to see Hank Jr. They're already in a totally different mindset, and they're just rowdy, even for a theater. And I remember I stepped up to the microphone and I played a couple of songs, and I started to set up a song, and I was like, you know, this. This next song I want to play you guys is. And I heard some guy in the back just go, man, just shut up and play it.
- [00:38]
Troy Volhofer
Hey there, country fans. Welcome back to on the Bus. I'm Troy Volhofer, and I'm your host. I know every week I say, hey, we have a great show for you with an incredible guest. Of course I say that, and I mean that every week. But this week, it's hard to put into words just what a mega career this gentleman has had. You know him from his time on the Voice. You recognize him as the 2017 Sexiest Man Alive. And of course, you know him from the smash hits like God's Country Boys Round Here and the one that started it all in 2001. Austin. Today, Blake Shelton is joining us. For nearly 25 years, his name has been synonymous with country music. He has 29 number one hits, and he's a member of the Opry. And with a new album out this spring, he has no signs of slowing down. Please join me in welcoming the one and only Blake Shelton to On the Bus. Blake, thanks a lot for coming on. I know we have a big show tonight and carve out this time for us. Thank you.
- [01:32]
Blake Shelton
Proud to be here, buddy.
- [01:33]
Troy Volhofer
Yeah, man.
- [01:33]
Blake Shelton
This is the number one podcast. I mean, who wouldn't want to be on here, right?
- [01:37]
Troy Volhofer
Well, I've got. It's an honor to have you on board.
- [01:39]
Blake Shelton
Thanks.
- [01:40]
Troy Volhofer
Thank you for coming out. And we've done a lot of shows together and I've never had the honor to meet you. And, you know, I. I recall waiting out a storm. Our buses were parked across from each other in up in Saskatchewan, and it was a Sunday night and the storm came in, and the Sunday afternoon the storm came in. We waited it out and then you went on and slayed them and had a. Brought all the people back in and evacuated the venue. I don't know if you recall.
- [02:03]
Blake Shelton
I do. I do remember that because I remember that was at the time there had been a few of those in country and a couple of them had been disasters. You know, I think one was it Might have been Sugar Land or something, but it was within, you know, a year or two of that, and it was like nobody played around with that anymore, you know, evacuation time.
- [02:24]
Troy Volhofer
Yeah.
- [02:25]
Blake Shelton
In the early days, though, you just out there in the lightning and went for it.
- [02:29]
Troy Volhofer
I talked to Brian Adams the other day, and. And we go back to this thing we did together in 1992 called Waking up the Nation. And he's like, hey, remember that night in Winnipeg where I didn't get off the stage? I said, yeah, you almost killed yourself. I mean, was blowing around all over the place, right. And it was such a bad storm, they couldn't move. We couldn't move production from Winnipeg to the next city because it was. The trucks were under all sunk in the axle deep, and the buses were stuck and had to reschedule the next date.
- [02:56]
Blake Shelton
I think artists have this image in their mind where it's like, if someone gets a picture of them standing out there, like, with the rain coming in sideways, and they've got their arm extended to the fans, that somehow that's going to be like a legendary thing or whatever.
- [03:09]
Troy Volhofer
It's going to be like, the moment. Right.
- [03:10]
Blake Shelton
But nobody cares.
- [03:11]
Troy Volhofer
No. You're asking.
- [03:12]
Blake Shelton
That's right. I look like that every night anyways. I sweat so much. So, man, it looks like it must be raining while he's singing.
- [03:19]
Troy Volhofer
So big congratulations, man. Texas is gonna go number one.
- [03:23]
Blake Shelton
Oh, my God. Let's hope. I got my fingers crossed. It's actually waiting on some big news here tonight. Hopefully we'll find out if it does.
- [03:32]
Troy Volhofer
So let's talk about touring. You tour a lot. You're out there a lot. How do you feel about that? What's your day like?
- [03:39]
Blake Shelton
I think most people would probably disagree with you that I tour a lot. Most people on my team. That's right. He's like, you. I barely leave, but I used to tour a lot more than I do now because I had to. I mean, it's just what we did, you know? But, you know, once I started the Voice and we were doing two seasons, a year of the Voice, I just literally didn't have time to tour, you know? And when I started on the Voice, that's when I really started to move up in my career and. And because I was, you know, on the show, and then we were hitting on the right music at the right time, it was just a culmination of a lot of stuff. But we found that by not being out there so much really helped my touring, you know, got business. I've watched a Lot of artists come and go who. They just, you know, they just beat the hell out of the road, you know, they're just. They're in these markets once a year, over year, you know, and even if you love them, you go, man, I think I'm good on. On seeing that guy. I've seen him four times. You know, it's like. And so it's really helped, I think, for me, you know, we've been able to, you know, play arenas and then some of these. Your festival, these bigger things, you know, and try to keep it up there as long as we can. I mean, everything has its. Because it's time, you know, But I think because I just haven't done that much. It's helped build up. No, I wouldn't say demand, but at least interest. When I come through town, it's like, oh, my God, I hadn't seen that guy since 2010, you know, so that's. I think it's helped.
- [05:15]
Troy Volhofer
I just have this total.
- [05:16]
Blake Shelton
Much.
- [05:17]
Troy Volhofer
I just had this total brain fart. We were in Manhattan, Kansas, and my kid is an aspiring artist, and she was pretty small. She went on your bus to play you some tunes, and you're opening for. For Brad Paisley. She came on there, played some tunes for you guys or whatever. And then you flew out that night to do your first bit with the Voice. And I can't remember what year that.
- [05:39]
Blake Shelton
Would have been, but it had been 2011.
- [05:42]
Troy Volhofer
That's right. That's right.
- [05:44]
Blake Shelton
So that was the hardest. That's when I said, I'm not. I'm not ever going to let these things overlap again. Touring and tv. Of course, at the time I had signed on to. To open for Brad a year before. You know how that works.
- [05:58]
Troy Volhofer
Yeah, yeah.
- [05:58]
Blake Shelton
And in the meantime, this TV show comes up. It's like, hell, yeah, who am I to. You know, I'm damn right I'll do it, you know. And we ended up, you know, would film all day, get on a jet, fly to Manhattan, Kansas, and play a live gig and then get right back to la. And it was. It. I'm not built for. For that kind of running. And then I'm just not. I remember when we were filming the Voice, Sometimes, you know, CeeLo would come, you know, dragging in, you know, one morning and be like, man, the hell happened to you? He's like, man, when we rack last night, I flew to. To Italy and, you know, did a show and I had to be back here again two days later, you know, or whatever. It was like, things that you didn't even think were possible. You know, it's like, man, we. We all, I think, learned quickly. Like, you're going to have to be either TV guy or touring guy. But putting them together is. It's. It's tough.
- [06:51]
Troy Volhofer
So how was your experience in tv? You had not done TV before that, had you?
- [06:55]
Blake Shelton
I was a judge on. On one of the seasons of Nashville Star before that.
- [07:03]
Troy Volhofer
Forgot about that.
- [07:03]
Blake Shelton
Yeah. Which was simple. That was an easy gig, though, because all we did literally was show up an hour before and sit there and.
- [07:10]
Troy Volhofer
Say, well, who was on that?
- [07:12]
Blake Shelton
It was me.
- [07:13]
Troy Volhofer
Kenny.
- [07:13]
Blake Shelton
No, it was Randy Owen, Anastasia brown.
- [07:17]
Troy Volhofer
Okay, got it.
- [07:18]
Blake Shelton
Which was some of my favorite memories of being in this business was sitting there with Randy Owen and the stuff he would say, not on camera. I mean, it was. It was legendary. I had a lot of fun. I learned a lot about television that. That season, and Casey musgraves was actually a contestant on. On that. On that season. And then after that, I did a show that was like a. A holiday special that NBC did called clash of the choirs. And it. It only happened once, and it was me and Nicholas, Nick lachey, Michael Bolton, and Kelly Rowland. The four of us did it. And that was a. That was a lot of fun, too. And I really think that is what led to the offer. I got to do the voice because they knew who I was at that point at NBC, you know. Wow. Yeah.
- [08:07]
Troy Volhofer
What a run, though. The boys, huh?
- [08:09]
Blake Shelton
Yeah. 12 years, 23 seasons. We did. I did.
- [08:13]
Troy Volhofer
That's fantastic.
- [08:14]
Blake Shelton
Yeah.
- [08:14]
Troy Volhofer
So then you had a new show this year, right? The bar thing.
- [08:19]
Blake Shelton
It's called the road. And Keith Urban is our. Is really the star of the show. I believe it's 12 contestants that we start out with opening for Keith Urban and these random bars across the country. Country. You know, we'll roll into Fort Worth or Tulsa or wherever we're filming that night and send out a. A message on social media that just says, hey, if you want to come out and see Keith Urban play down here at the corner bar tonight, be here at 8. You hear tire squealing before you even push in on the thing. You know, I mean, people are. Can't even believe it's happening. But what they don't know is when they get in there, they're going to be watching these contestants open for Keith Urban, and they're all given a device to vote. So it's actual the audience in the bar who aren't there to see them. And most cases are a little bit frustrated. They're having to sit through some of this, you know, to see the guy they wanted to see. And that's how it is for opening acts. A lot of times you're playing for people that never even heard of you, and it's your job to win those people over. But by the time you're finished performing, they go, man, I may buy that guy's album, you know, I may come see him if he comes back through, you know, or her. And that's what the show is really built on. I'm on, like, I think it ends up being about five episodes. Just kind of, you know, helping Keith as far as having someone to bounce his thoughts off of as he's watching these people. And then we have some other guests that come along. Gretchen Wilson is kind of our host. She's a great tour manager, kind of the host. Yeah, I was like, it was funny that when, when at some point it came up in conversations like, man, we need somebody that's like help for these kids on tour, you know, someone that they can kind of lean on and that'll be harsh with them. And I went, I know the person. I know who we need, you know, and she did great. She really did.
- [10:17]
Troy Volhofer
That's awesome. I was with Keith Urban the other night. It was funny. We had an after show dinner at Odell's and it was. It was private. But, you know, I was standing there, you know, talking to somebody and no, he just came in. No security, not even a handler, no, no tour manager, nobody. Just Keith walks. And he. I'm the only one he knows in the room or at least look familiar to him. So he came over and hung out with me and I gave him his introductions to everybody. But that's cool. It was really nice.
- [10:45]
Blake Shelton
He's. He's the nicest guy. And I don't think people realize, and maybe he does this on purpose, but I don't think people realize how funny that guy is. He's so quick witted. He's so freaking smart. Like. Like, I used to always think to myself as a kind of a quick witted guy, you know, But I don't have on. On Keith Urban. Like I've said, they're speechless a lot of times. He's just so fast, you know?
- [11:07]
Troy Volhofer
Oh, no, I. I hear you. So. So let's go back to talking about artist development. You know, you grew up doing the bar circuit. Toby Keith grew up doing the bar circuit. I mean, Toby Keith told me one day I was at his house in Cabo, and I think he brought me down there. To try to convince me that he could do 365 days in a row. He had this idea and he's like, man, I used to do this when, you know, when I was digging ditches and I played every day. And he goes, are you. Would you be in?
- [11:36]
Blake Shelton
And I'm like, oh, whoa, that sounds like Toby. I mean, he loved being out there. Like, he was one of the. He's probably the only, like, true, like, road dog kind of guy that. That I have personally ever knew, you know, because you always hear about those guys. Well, that's not true. I knew Mel Tillis, too.
- [11:56]
Troy Volhofer
Oh, he was a road dog?
- [11:57]
Blake Shelton
Yeah.
- [11:57]
Troy Volhofer
I mean, he was a road dog.
- [11:59]
Blake Shelton
He could have done 400 shows a year. I mean, he might have at some point. He showed Mel one time, showed me a poster a fan had given him, like, his tour. His tour schedule of, like, 1978 or who knows what it was, or it might have been in the 80s. And I couldn't even wrap my head around the dates. The dates, like. Like, Mel, what were. What are these places like? And what is there even to play when you roll into these towns that none of us have ever heard of and like it? Well, you know, back then, like, he had his reasons and he just wanted to be out there, you know, Just couldn't. Would much rather have been on a bus on tour than at home with a day off.
- [12:43]
Troy Volhofer
Yeah. And he used to ride with the boys.
- [12:44]
Blake Shelton
Yeah.
- [12:45]
Troy Volhofer
I mean, I did the date with him near the end of his life, and it was him on a bus with all of his guys. And, you know, it was pretty cool to see that. And the show was fabulous.
- [12:55]
Blake Shelton
And he was professional, too. These guys all had whatever suits that. Oh, no. And. And, you know, the Bellamies are. Are road dogs, too. Those guys probably. I don't know how many shows they do years.
- [13:08]
Troy Volhofer
If you've got the money, they'll play your bar mitzvah or whatever you got going on. I mean, like your kids, you know, graduation or something. But they are.
- [13:15]
Blake Shelton
I have wrapped up shows before. It's been a few years now, but I can remember, like, wrapping a show, like, say we were playing here tonight, and you hear that the Bellamies are playing up the road here, you know, somewhere, and, man, I just take a runner.
- [13:29]
Troy Volhofer
Let's go watch them.
- [13:29]
Blake Shelton
You know, I've gone to. They're great.
- [13:31]
Troy Volhofer
They're great.
- [13:32]
Blake Shelton
I just love their music. And I love them. Those guys, too. It's.
- [13:36]
Troy Volhofer
It's so different, you know, the kids nowadays, which, no disrespect in tenant because we have some great new talent coming through. But, you know, they. They didn't spend five years in a bar where it's smoky and people are talking and they have to earn your attention to be great and learn how to entertain. They. They get paid a lot of money now learn how to entertain where it used to be. You're making your $300 tonight, and you need to make sure that everyone. That bar is paying attention to you. I think that's missing a little bit. Do you think so?
- [14:07]
Blake Shelton
100%, you know, but I don't know. I don't see it ever being.
- [14:12]
Troy Volhofer
It's never going to change.
- [14:13]
Blake Shelton
It's never going to change, I don't think. But I remember the first time I had that moment of like, nobody's here to see you, you know, because I came from Ada, Oklahoma, small town, and everybody knew me there. So anytime I sang, people would come out and they would cheer. And I moved to Nashville and, you know, anywhere I could play. You know, it was usually always, you know, singer, songwriter, sets, just me and my guitar and. And so most of the gigs I played were in back in Oklahoma. I would get hired, play the state fair somewhere up in Tulsa, you know, all around the state. I never had a lot of opportunities to open for big people. It was just me at ours. And I remember after Austin came out, I got the chance to open for Hank Williams Jr. At. @ one of those Fox theaters, and I think it was in Atlanta.
- [15:02]
Troy Volhofer
Oh, yeah, the Fox in Atlanta.
- [15:04]
Blake Shelton
Yeah. And I was so excited. I was like, like, this is it. You don't get bigger than Hank Williams Jr. You know what I mean? And I was out there on stage and I didn't really understand there's a difference in a Hank Jr crowd. Even though they might be the same crowd that would come to see me when. When they come to see Hank Jr. They're already in a totally different mindset, and they're just rowdy and even for a theater. And I remember I stepped up to the microphone and I played a couple of songs and I started to set up a song, and I was like, you know, this. This next song I want to play you guys is. And I heard some guy in the back just go, man, just shut up and play it. Like you could hear it just echo through. And I remember thinking, you're right. And I just kick it off, guys, you know, And I didn't say another word the rest of the night. I was like, man, let's just get through this thing, you know? Without upsetting people and hope that they recognize Austin and oh, Red, and we can get out here, maybe sell a couple of T shirts. But that. That was the first time that I had that experience of, like, how to navigate that stuff, you know what I mean? And it's. It's hard. The most. The worst ass kicking that I ever had was opening for Rascal Flats. I opened for Rascal Flats for a year and a half. I had had a few hits and. And I think I was. Might have been on my third album.
- [16:25]
Troy Volhofer
What year were that?
- [16:26]
Blake Shelton
2005.
- [16:27]
Troy Volhofer
Got it.
- [16:27]
Blake Shelton
We would do our show, and it would be fine.
- [16:29]
Troy Volhofer
Yeah.
- [16:30]
Blake Shelton
But then, you know, you'd be back in your dressing room after your show, and all of a sudden you would swear an earthquake was happening out there is when flats were just on fire. They couldn't have been any hotter at that moment, you know, And. And it was like, I got to go watch these guys. I got to start learning some stuff, you know?
- [16:49]
Troy Volhofer
You're still wearing a hat in those days, right?
- [16:51]
Blake Shelton
Yeah, I was still wearing a hat. I think I probably still had my hair down to here, you know. But more than that, I. I was. I was just kind of standing in front of the microphone, like, don't you dare, you know, take it off that stand. That would feel stupid. I look. That would be awkward, you know, and next thing you know, there's Gary Levox out there with a freaking towel, slapping people in the face and throwing water on people and running around and jumping off the risers and. And I'm going, man, I'm going about this the wrong way. I am not George Strait. In my mind, I'm George Strait. That's when I started figuring out, well, what do I. What do I have that nobody else is doing? And that's when I started bringing in the funny stuff and saying, you know, edgy, harsh shit on stage, you know, and. And that was about the time the social media thing got going. And that's when I really started to implement some sarcasm and into my. Not just my music, but my shows, you know, and that's kind of where it kind of put me. And all right, now I found my spot. People come here and they know they're going to hear stuff that if anybody else said it, they would go, oh, you know, but if Blake says it, oh, he's such an idiot. What a dumb ass. You know? But very rarely would people get upset about it because they. They come there expecting to hear that.
- [18:14]
Troy Volhofer
From me, you know, Congratulations on the new record. So four years what were you doing in four years? You were just not inspired or getting fatter.
- [18:24]
Blake Shelton
Yeah, that's right. Hanging out at the farm. That is a lot of what I was doing, you know, when I finally stepped away from the Voice, which was hard, but it was, it was past time for me to do that, man. When I, when I walked off the set that day, they had a big after party for me, which was so cool. And, and, and all my contestants that were. Had won or finalists and stuff all came and it was a. They had a huge blowout that night for me. It was really cool. But I remember when I left the, the studio that night, Universal and we pulled out of there, Gwen and I. I remember thinking, man, I'm going to go to Oklahoma and I'm going to go through the gate at the ranch and I'm gonna lock that son of a. And I am not coming out for a long time. Like, it is time to, to just hear mute for a while, you know. And that's what I did. I mean, it really wasn't until we got the call last year to that post Malone had asked me to sing on his record that really kind of like was a kick, you know, the kind of. The kick in the ass that I needed to be like, man, what are you doing? Like, you're a country singer, you know, let it, let all the TV stuff go. Like, forget about all the magazines and Hollywood and all that. Like, you're a country singer at heart. And, and nobody, very few people get the opportunity to do what we do as country artists, you know, and why would you set up your ass at the house and not make a record and go out and play in front of people and do your. Live the dream that you had when you were 15, 14 years old, you know, so it's exactly what I did, man. And I felt like it was time for a new beginning in a lot of ways. That's why I went. And after 25 years, I asked to be released from, from Warner Nashville. And I think we all agreed, you know, in the, in the conversation, it was like, man, it's time for me to have a fresh start, you know, and, and I went and got the, the new label home at bmg. And. And while the first thing I played them was, was Texas, and John Lobo said, well, that's your, that's your first single. What do you. What else you got for us? You know what I mean? I remember thinking, oh my God, that's. That was. Wow, okay, let's do it.
- [20:47]
Troy Volhofer
John's a Trip guy. Yeah, yeah, he's a good. He's a good head, man. Well, I'm glad you're back doing what you did, dude.
- [20:52]
Blake Shelton
Me too, man.
- [20:53]
Troy Volhofer
Glad that you found your. Find your way back to country music and enough of that Hollywood stuff.
- [20:58]
Blake Shelton
That's right.
- [20:59]
Troy Volhofer
We do Hollywood really well, I gotta tell you.
- [21:01]
Blake Shelton
Well, I just.
- [21:01]
Troy Volhofer
Did you live out there in that time period when you were shooting out there?
- [21:04]
Blake Shelton
About half the time. I had to. I mean, well, of course, that's where.
- [21:07]
Troy Volhofer
You went to work every day. Right.
- [21:08]
Blake Shelton
Especially with two seasons a year. And I wouldn't trade a minute of it, you know, I mean, it changed my life in so many ways. Met my wife out there, you know, but it was. It was also time to get out of there, you know?
- [21:22]
Troy Volhofer
One thing I always found interesting with you and Toby, both Oklahoma boys, never.
- [21:28]
Blake Shelton
Moved to Nashville, but I did, though. I lived there for a while. I just eventually realized I needed to move back home. I've been back home in Oklahoma for almost. Next year will be 20 years.
- [21:46]
Troy Volhofer
Really?
- [21:47]
Blake Shelton
Yeah. But I lived in Nashville for 11.
- [21:50]
Troy Volhofer
Years when you were starting out, when you were getting your chops and the record deal.
- [21:53]
Blake Shelton
And also I felt like I had my foot in the door. Like, all right, I've had some hits and maybe I can make this work. I moved back, so I had my first single, Austin, in 2001 and 2006, I moved back home. I felt like it was time.
- [22:11]
Troy Volhofer
Did you get back much to Nashville?
- [22:12]
Blake Shelton
I'm there probably about five times a year. Yeah, Maybe a little more this year since the, you know, release on the album. I mean, it's changing so fast. I go there, I'm like, wait a minute, I'm not where I thought I was because I don't never seen that skyrise before. And it's like, no, you're exactly where you thought you were. It's just changing all around you.
- [22:32]
Troy Volhofer
I ended up there in 93.
- [22:34]
Blake Shelton
94 for me.
- [22:36]
Troy Volhofer
90, 94. Yeah. So, yeah, totally different. I mean, Broadway wasn't happening.
- [22:39]
Blake Shelton
Hey, you went down to Broadway. It was in the daylight.
- [22:42]
Troy Volhofer
Oh, yeah.
- [22:42]
Blake Shelton
And you tried to get out of there before Danger you down there past 10 o' clock, you might get hit in the head with a flash.
- [22:49]
Troy Volhofer
Totally.
- [22:49]
Blake Shelton
With a mag light or something, or a rock or a whiskey bottle.
- [22:53]
Troy Volhofer
Everything's kind of changed. But, man, I'm sure glad you're still doing what you're doing. And we're going to do some dates together this year. I think we're going to go to Canada together up in big valley jamboree in August.
- [23:04]
Blake Shelton
So why don't you start booking me closer to my house, for God's sake?
- [23:07]
Troy Volhofer
I know, I know, but that's what jets are for.
- [23:09]
Blake Shelton
I guess so. But they're expensive.
- [23:12]
Troy Volhofer
Oh, too funny. But, hey, man, thank you so much for coming over today.
- [23:15]
Blake Shelton
Thank you, buddy.
- [23:15]
Troy Volhofer
And it's really good to sit down.
- [23:17]
Blake Shelton
And congratulations on this thing, man. Wow.
- [23:20]
Troy Volhofer
Thank you.
- [23:20]
Blake Shelton
Don't forget about us. All these new kids coming. Throw the old guys a bone once in a while.
- [23:25]
Troy Volhofer
Always do. I love it. Well, thank you very much.
- [23:27]
Blake Shelton
Thank you, buddy.
- [23:28]
Troy Volhofer
Appreciate you. Have a great show tonight and see you down the road.
- [23:31]
Blake Shelton
All right, buddy.
- [23:32]
Troy Volhofer
Thank you. We've had some listeners and fans reach out. One wanting to know more about my story and what life is like out on the road. So we're introducing a new segment called on tour with Troy, where I'll answer a few questions and take you backstage to my life in music. All right, here we go. My first concert that I went to, I was in kindergarten and I went and saw Kenny Rogers in the first edition. My must have items on this tour bus is beer. My favorite off the bus activity is golfing. And I get to golf in so many different places across North America. It's fantastic. If I could put together a country thunder lineup with four acts that are living or dead, I would choose Johnny cash. I would choose merle haggard. I think those two artists resonate perfectly with kind of what the scene is today with, you know, a blend of genres. My third choice would be George strait because it's George strait. And I also would choose Dolly Parton because I think Dolly her showmanship, and I've worked with her before, and she's absolutely amazing. Thanks once again to Blake Shelton for joining us on the bus today. Blake is on tour this summer, and you can find his select tour dates on his official website, blakeschelton.com be sure to follow country thunder on all our social platforms. At country Thunder, we have new episodes dropping bimonthly. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you know when the new episodes hit the feed.