New album, NBC's "The Voice" make for awesome times for Blake Shelton

Blake Shelton speaks at the 46th Country Music Association Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, November 1, 2012.

Credit: Reuters/Eric Henderson

By Vernell Hackett

NASHVILLE, Tennessee | Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:35pm EDT

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - Country music singer Blake Shelton has never been one to shy away from his feelings, so when it came to recording his new album he sought out songs that reflected his current state of mind.

Life, he says, is "pretty awesome."

"It's all where I am in my life right now. I'm very content with my life. I'll be happy if it stays like this for a long time," Shelton, 36, told Reuters of his new album "Based on a True Story..."

After some 10 years in country music, Shelton's popularity has surged in his two years as a judge on NBC's "The Voice" singing contest, which is seen by about 13 million U.S. viewers a week.

The new album's first single, "Sure Be Cool If You Did," released in January, has already topped the U.S. country chart. "Based on a True Story...," released to coincide with the return of "The Voice" this week, is expected to debut near the top of next week's album chart.

"I didn't want to do any sad songs, damn it, but this is a country album so you have to do a couple," said Shelton.

"I had those years where I made those kinds of records and something will happen one of these days and it will be a part of my music again. But right now everything is pretty awesome," he added.

Shelton, 36, is the latest country star to break into the mainstream. His 2011 album "Red River Blue," reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, buoyed in part by the singer's laid-back, fun-loving role on the TV show.

On the new album, Shelton, who forms a country music power couple with singer-wife Miranda Lambert, sings about tried-and-true country themes, including good ol' boys, picking up girls, being in love, losing the love of his life and bad jobs.

"The album is the story of my life from start to finish and I thought 'That's what we should call it because it is based on a true story,'" Shelton said.

The singer, who won the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year in 2012, said he wants people to get to know his personality through his music and "The Voice."

"I guess if doing what I did got me that award, I better keep being that guy," said Shelton, whose biggest hits include 2009's "Hillbilly Bone" and 2004's "Some Beach."

Shelton has emerged as the face of the country music industry on "The Voice," in which he and three other judges compete with each other to mentor rising singers and help them win a record deal.

"I've always felt a responsibility to make sure that every step along the way is a good one for our industry," he said. "I'm proud to be that person on 'The Voice' that represents country music."

Shelton will be back in the country music spotlight on April 7 as host for the third consecutive year of the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas.

(Reporting by Vernell Hackett, editing by Eric Kelsey, Jill Serjeant and Jackie Frank)

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Review: Blake Shelton delivers his best on new CD (AP)

By MICHAEL McCALL, For The Associated Press Michael Mccall, For The Associated Press – 1 hr 28 mins ago

Blake Shelton, "Red River Blue" (Warner Bros.)

Ten years in, Blake Shelton's up-and-down career is now skyrocketing, with no dips in sight.

His current hit, "Honey Bee," is his fourth consecutive No. 1, setting records for a male country singer in how fast it reached gold in digital sales. He is the current CMA Male Vocalist of the Year, and he starred as a coach in the popular NBC talent show, "The Voice." He also married country singer Miranda Lambert earlier this year in a high-profile romance that captured the media's attention.

But the best sign of how far he's come can be heard on "Red River Blue," his eighth album. Singing with more confidence than ever, and collecting solid songs that highlight his playful personality and his vocal talent, Shelton adds fuel to the upward trajectory with the best album of his career.

The Oklahoma native at times recalls other country superstars: He mixes the soulful escapism of Kenny Chesney, the macho swagger of Trace Adkins and the tough-guy wit of Toby Keith. But Shelton is a better singer than all of them, especially on ballads like the soaring "Over" and the sensitive title cut.

But it's the breezy, fun songs that will mark this album, from the swaying sting of "Honey Bee" and sweet groove of "Ready To Roll," "Hey" and "Drink On It." This is the sound of a good singer making the best of his hard-earned stardom.

CHECK OUT THIS TRACK: "Get Some," with its finger-picked acoustic guitar and sliding dobro set to a jaunty rhythm, captures a back-country attitude better than any of the endless list of recent songs celebrating country life.

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