As country music took over Texas on Thursday for the ACM Awards, Blake Shelton prepared to take the stage to perform his new song “Texas.” Already packed full of performances, the night welcomed stars like Shelton, Lainey Wilson, Clint Black, Brooks & Dunn, and even the Backstreet Boys to the stage. While just a taste of the full ACM Awards lineup, each performance seemed to be better than the last. But when it came to Shelton, he not only performed “Texas” but also released his newest album, For Recreational Use Only, a few hours after the awards.
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For fans of Shelton, they woke up on Friday with a special treat from the country singer. Releasing his first albums since Body Language in 2021, Shelton celebrated For Recreational Use Only on Instagram. Showing the cover of the album, which included Shelton pondering his life while in a bar, the singer captioned the post, writing, “IT’S HERE PEOPLE!!!! My brand new album “For Recreational Use Only” is out now!!!! It’s been years in the making and I’m so excited it’s finally yours.. Hope y’all love it!!!! Link in bio to listen!!!”
While the album hasn’t even been out for a full day, fans are already claiming the record would win Shelton a few awards. “Album of the year!!! It’s absolutely amazing.” One comment read, “Your album is amazing. I love Hangin’ on, but OMG – All of my love. The sweetest song. I actually started crying listening to it, I could feel how much you love Gwen.”
The One Singer Who Helped Blake Shelton Get Back To The Studio
Not that long ago, fans watched as Shelton coached on The Voice, recorded new music, and even helmed the Back to the Honky Tonk Tour. But suddenly, he decided to take a break to spend time with his wife, Gwen Stefani, and their children. Having spent two decades carving out his place in country music, he wanted to slow down for a moment. And he stayed on that path until he received a call from none other than Post Malone.
Wanting to collaborate on “Pour Me a Drink”, Shelton insisted the singer helped energize him. “I really credit Post Malone for this new energy that I have because I was kind of just complacent and not in any hurry. Then that kid came along and asked me to sing on his song with him. It took off and was a big hit this summer, and it reminded me like, ‘Hey, get off your ass! This may be your last chance to really take a big swing at this thing.’ So here I am.”
With Shelton back on the airwaves and in the studio, he also teamed up with Keith Urban for the reality show The Road. Getting the chance to hit the road with the star, contestants will compete against each other as they open for Urban. Don’t miss The Road, premiering this fall on CBS.
(Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM)
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