Happy Birthday Blake Shelton: The Song Which Launched His Career

Jun 18, 2020

Legendary country pop-sensation Blake Shelton turns 44 years old today. 

To celebrate the heartthrob from down south, we're taking a look back at his impressive life as well as his relationship to Gwen Stefani, 50.

Blake Tollison Shelton was born on June 18, 1976, in Oklahoma. According to Britannica, Shelton began showing interest in music as a young kid and was taught how to play the guitar at age 12 by his uncle. In 1994, almost immediately after graduating from high school, Shelton moved to Nashville at the recommendation of established songwriter Mae Boren Axton, who took interest in him at a young age. Axton would hook Shelton up with a painting job and introduce him to prominent contacts in the country music industry.

In 1997, Shelton met songwriter and producer Bobby Braddock and landed a contract with Giant Records. In 2001, the singer rose to fame with his single, Austin, which peaked at #2 on Billboard's top 100 at the time. 

After that, Shelton's popularity skyrocketed. In 2011, the singer joined The Voice as a judge and coach. That same year, he released Red River Blue which, along with his 2013 album Based on a True Story…, was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Country Album category. In 2014, Shelton met his now-girlfriend Gwen Stefani when she joined as a judge on The Voice, although both were married to others at the time.

The following year, Stefani separated from her husband of 13 years, Gavin Rossdale, and found herself falling for country music star Blake Shelton. Shelton had also just gone through a divorce with Miranda Lambert. After becoming friends, the relationship soon turned romantic.

"I feel as if I spent the last four years healing—you know, trying to build my life again. Having a best friend like Blake to help me do that has been one of the greatest gifts," Stefani said in a 2019 interview with Shape magazine.

The two have since been inseparable and have collaborated on a number of songs together, including their duet, Nobody But You, which they performed together at this year's Grammys. 

We wish Blake Shelton a very happy birthday! What is your favorite song by the country star? Let us know in the comments and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!