Just out of high school, Warner Bros. recording artist Blake Shelton left Oklahoma to move to Nashville. Back home at only 16 years old, Shelton had received statewide attention when he won the Denbo Diamond Award, the top award for young Oklahoma entertainers. In Nashville, Shelton was able to get several songs published with Naomi Martin Music, Warner/Chappell Music, and Jerry Crutchfield Music. Shelton turned his songwriting into a successful recording in 2001 with his debut single, "Austin."; ... Show more...

Just out of high school, Warner Bros. recording artist Blake Shelton left Oklahoma to move to Nashville. Back home at only 16 years old, Shelton had received statewide attention when he won the Denbo Diamond Award, the top award for young Oklahoma entertainers. In Nashville, Shelton was able to get several songs published with Naomi Martin Music, Warner/Chappell Music, and Jerry Crutchfield Music. Shelton turned his songwriting into a successful recording in 2001 with his debut single, "Austin."; The song eventually spent five weeks at #1. "All Over Me" and "Ol' Red" followed into 2002, allowing Shelton's album to go gold. His starpower was on the rise and Shelton was as busy as ever. He wasted no time recording a sophomore release. The Dreamer appeared in February 2003, hot on the heels of the Top 10 single "The Baby". A third album, Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill, was released in 2004, along with a DVD, Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill: A Video Collection. ~ Rick Cohoon, All Music Guide