Blake Shelton Says ‘The Clock’s Ticking’ On His Country Career
After 20 years of laughs and hits, he says he'll step aside when the time comes.
Blake Shelton sat for a wide ranging interview with Country Countdown USA host Lon Helton at the 2022 Country Radio Seminar on Friday, and after an hour of laughs, memories and personal insight, he admitted that he won’t stay in the spotlight forever.
Asked where music fits into his life now, considering his career in TV and family with Gwen Stefani, Shelton said he’s known for a few years “the clock’s ticking” on his country career.
“I’ve kind of always been prepared for when this ends, and my songs aren’t getting played anymore,” Shelton explained, opening up with gratitude and maybe a bit of sadness. “I’ve always been prepared for that and I’ve braced myself for it, and I learned to accept a few years ago … that it’s coming. I’ve kept that in my mind like ‘Hey, the clock’s ticking.'”
Shelton said he first started to think about the end after wining his first Male Vocalist of the Year award, celebrating with his team. That would have been the 2010 CMA Awards, just after his breakout success with “Hillbilly Bone” (with Trace Adkins), and Shelton said his manager Narvel Blackstock took him aside to let him know he should enjoy his time while it lasts.
“People are gonna get tired of you winning the awards, having Number One after Number One,” Shelton said. “They may not be mad at you, but they’ve already got two or three albums. ‘How many albums do I need by Blake Shelton? … I need some Luke Combs now, or some Morgan Wallen, or whoever is next after me.’
“You have to be honest with yourself and you can’t believe this is gonna go on forever, because it’s not,” Shelton continued. “So to answer your question, I want to make great records, and the moment I feel like I’m really not that relevant anymore, I don’t think I wanna make ‘em anymore. Like [Blackstock] said, the clock’s ticking. I’m not somebody who’s gonna beat my head against the wall, because this room, these people, this industry, has given me way more than I ever deserve, and I know that. I’m thankful and proud of that, and when it’s my time to make room for somebody else, the last thing I’m gonna do is kick and scream to keep my spot.
“There’s not one complaint I could have. I couldn’t be prouder and happier. I don’t wanna sell out stadiums, I don’t care about that. I don’t care about winning the awards. My award and that stadium is when I look back at the last 20 years of my life and go, ‘Man, how the f*** did that just happen?'”
Sounds Like Nashville will have more coverage from the 2022 Country Radio Seminar coming, including more from Blake Shelton’s keynote interview.
