Born in Oklahoma 50 Years Ago, the Small-Town Kid Who Became the Sexiest Man in Country Music

On this day (June 18) in 1976, Blake Shelton was born in Ada, Oklahoma. He introduced himself to the country music world in 2001 with a No. 1 debut single. Since then, he has notched a total of 29 chart-topping singles. A few years after kicking off his recording career, Shelton expanded to TV. He appeared in some specials and judged a pair of competition shows. Then, he spent more than a decade as a coach on The Voice, expanding his popularity outside the realm of country music. Additionally, People magazine named him the Sexiest Man Alive in 2017.

Shelton began writing songs and playing gigs when he was still in high school. During one of these performances, he caught the ear of Mae Boren Axton, a noted songwriter and mother of Hoyt Axton. After he graduated, he moved to Nashville, where Axton helped him get established. A few years later, in 1997, he linked with Bobby Braddock, who helped him land his recording contract with Giant Records, according to Britannica.

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Blake Shelton’s Chart Domination

Shelton almost released “I Wanna Talk About Me,” which later became a No. 1 hit for Toby Keith, as his lead single. However, his label pushed him to introduce himself with “Austin” in 2001. The single hit the airwaves in April and reached the top of the Hot Country Songs chart, where it stayed for five consecutive weeks in August.

Shelton landed a handful of hits over the next few years, including two more No. 1 singles. Then, his career caught fire in 2007, when he released “Home,” a bonus track from the rerelease of Pure BS, as a single. It went to No. 1 and kicked off a long string of hits. Since then, he has released 37 singles and missed the top 10 of the Country Airplay chart five times.

Onscreen Star Power

Blake Shelton made his first film appearance in 2005. He played himself and performed “Nobody but Me” during a benefit concert scene in The Christmas Blessing. He has appeared in several more films, including the Adam Sandler-helmed The Ridiculous Six (2015) as Wyatt Earp. Shelton also voiced a character in The Angry Birds Movie (2016).

Shelton gained a following outside of the country music world with his television career. He judged Nashville Star and Clash of the Choirs in 2007. Four years later, he became a coach on The Voice, where he stayed for 23 seasons before exiting the show in 2023. Members of his team won the singing competition 9 times, making him the show’s most successful coach.

In 2017, Shelton was named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive. Upon hearing the news, he joked, “Y’all must be running out of people. Like, wow, we’re down to somebody who is somewhat symmetrical.”

He was not shy about owning the title, though. “It’s going to be used in every conversation, whether it’s at The Voice, or at the feed in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, or in a conversation with a doctor,” he told the publication. “You’re damn right, I’m Mr. Sexy! I’ve been ugly my whole life. If I can be sexy for a year, I’m taking it,” he added.

Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images

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