Blake Shelton Talks John Anderson Friendship, Turkey Hunting, and a Voice Like Home (Exclusive)

Blake Shelton grew up idolizing Country Music Hall of Fame inductee John Anderson. The little kid from Ada, Oklahoma, had no way of knowing that he would grow up to be touring partners and turkey-hunting buddies with his hero.

But that’s what happened.

Shelton asked Anderson to join him on his Friends & Heroes Tour two years in a row. All the men did was talk about hunting and fishing. Anderson took Shelton turkey hunting in the Everglades, and Shelton returned the favor. He took Anderson hunting on his Oklahoma farm.

“It was pretty crazy to be with John Anderson down there in the Everglades and see all the shit that he’s singing about in ‘Seminole Wind’ and be down in there with him, spend an entire day with him down in that country,” Shelton told American Songwriter. “That was cool.”

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Songs including “Seminole Wind,” “Swingin,’” and “Straight Tequila Night,” along with his instantly identifiable voice, propelled Anderson to the pinnacle of country music. He’ll be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday. Toby Keith and James Burton complete the 2024 class.

Anderson singing “Swingin’” is Shelton’s first memory from an awards show, although he doesn’t remember which one. Fast forward a decade, and Shelton has his driver’s license. He’s riding around in his first pickup truck listening to “Seminole Wind” and “Money in the Bank.” Shelton credits Anderson’s career longevity to his peerless artistry.

“I think it is as simple as, for me anyway, to look as an outsider, how unique and different and special he is as an artist to stand out among, at the time, probably a completely new generation of country artists who were out having hits,” Shelton said. “Then here comes John Anderson from the ‘70s and early ‘80s and just absolutely goes on a tear again all the way up into the early 2000s. He was having another string of hits again out of nowhere because his voice just sounds like home.”

At 48 and after more than 20 years in country music, Shelton said he relates to Anderson differently than when he was that kid in Ada.

“I’ve been doing this a long time,” Shelton said. “I know how hard it is to have a career that long and to have a resurgence and the work that goes into that. And for John, when you hear him sing, you’re like, ‘Oh, those are the good old days, and they’re back again, and everything is going to be okay.’”

Shelton is mounting a resurgence of his own. He recently inked a new record deal with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville.

(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)