Blake Shelton Gives Rare Performance of His 2003 Tearjerker “The Baby” at Milwaukee Show With Dustin Lynch

Ever since Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani began dating in 2015, fans just can’t get enough. The couple’s most recent collaboration, “Purple Irises,” has elicited gushing praise among diehard fans and debuted last week at No. 7 on Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales chart.

This marked Shelton’s 38th career top 10 Country Digital Song Sales hit. With that milestone, Shelton now boasts the most top 10 hits among solo male artists of all time on that specific ranking, Forbes reported.

However, Shelton became a star all on his own, earning nine GRAMMY nominations throughout his 23-year career. The “Austin” singer went deep into the vault during a recent show in Milwaukee, treating the crowd to a seldom-heard classic.

.@blakeshelton did a rare and poignant performance of his 2003 tearjerker “The Baby” @FiservForum Saturday. My review of his show with @dustinlynch, and great photos by Jovanny Hernandez, @journalsentinel https://t.co/RwlVRO0wCi pic.twitter.com/gomnlZDExP

— Piet Levy (@pietlevy) February 25, 2024

Blake Shelton Retired This Song Because of Its Subject Matter

Shelton’s 2003 hit “The Baby” made a rare appearance during the country artist’s Milwaukee stop on his “Back to the Honky Tonk” tour.

The tear-jerking tune tells the story of a mother’s special bond with her youngest child, her “baby.” Heartbreakingly, that “wild child” arrives too late to say his final goodbyes to his mother, despite driving 80 mph.

“The Baby” spent three weeks at the top of the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 2003, becoming the second No. 1 single of Shelton’s career. Still, it’s a heavy song, and that’s exactly why Shelton cut it from his setlist. However, the Milwaukee crowd got a rare treat when the former “Voice” judge decided to bring it out of retirement Saturday (Feb. 24.)

[RELATED: The Country Ballad Blake Shelton Featured on Two Albums and Regrets Never Releasing as a Single]

“And I knew that she’d been taken/And my heart, it was breakin’,” Shelton sang softly. “I never got to say goodbye/I softly kissed that lady and cried just like a baby.”

Blake Shelton momma in The Baby is my answer

— Chris Yow (@ChrisYow14) November 12, 2023

New Leg of Back to the Honky-Tonk Tour Runs Through March

Saturday’s Milwaukee show was the third stop on the second leg of Shelton’s “Back to the Honky-Tonk” tour. The tour wraps up March 29 in Wichita, Kansas.

“Back to the Honky-Tonk” initially kicked off in February 2023. The tour supports Shelton’s 2021 release, Body Language.

Featured image by by Danielle Del Valle/Getty Images