Blake Shelton releasing commemorative ‘Austin’ vinyl

Shelton’s “Minimum Wage” approaches Top 20 at country radio

Blake Shelton is set to release a commemorative limited edition vinyl of his debut single, “Austin,” in honor of its 20th anniversary. Pre-orders launch on April 16th, the exact date of the single’s release 20 years ago. True to the original single, the vinyl will also feature B-side track “Problems At Home.” After graduating high school, Shelton’s dreams of being a country music singer pushed him to Nashville. He painted houses and roofed buildings as he took steps toward his goal: making songwriting connections, playing gigs, singing demos and even working at a publishing company. Finally, in 2001, he landed a record deal that culminated in the release of his first single, “Austin.”

“I remember the first time I heard ‘Austin’ on the radio,” reflects Shelton. “I was driving on 440, and I kept looking to both sides trying to see if other drivers were singing along! At that time, the station had a slogan about how they played new artists and legends, and the DJ said something like, ‘Who knows… maybe this artist will become one of the legends.’ This song started it all for me. I couldn’t be prouder to celebrate its 20th anniversary.”

The DJ called it – the past 20 years have been legend-making for Shelton. With more than five billion on-demand streams, 28 chart-topping singles and award wins nearing the hundreds, he has cemented his place in country music history. Shelton continues to thrive, with his new single “Minimum Wage” approaching the Top 20 in just eight weeks. “Minimum Wage” follows back-to-back No. 1 hits “Happy Anywhere” and current ACM Music Event of the Year nominee “Nobody But You,” both with fiancee Gwen Stefani.

Beyond his country music career, the multi-media entertainer has earned widespread recognition as a seven-time champion coach for the Emmy Award-winning television show The Voice. The NBC singing competition is serendipitously in its 20th season. Shelton, a long-time Grand Ole Opry member, has also found success in his Ole Red partnership with Ryman Hospitality, with restaurant and venue locations currently in Tishomingo, Nashville, Gatlinburg and Orlando.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com