Blake Shelton’s Debut Album Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary

Author Nancy Brooks // Country Writer, Beasley Media Group

July 30th, 2021 12:00 AM

Blake Shelton likes to joke that he’s an “old guy” nowadays, and I’m not calling him old, but his self-titled debut album was released 20 years ago today (7/31).

The album features three singles: “Austin,” “All Over Me,” and “Ol’ Red,” and Blake co-wrote four of the ten tracks.

Back in April, as we reported, Shelton celebrated 20 years of his debut single “Austin,” which was a number one hit.

“Austin” spent five weeks in the number one position and the tune was even a pop hit, as it peaked at number 18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. At the time, it was Shelton’s highest-peaking single on that chart until “Honeybee” debuted at number 13 in 2011.

“Austin” even tied a record set by Billy Ray Cyrus in 1992. Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart” stayed atop the chart for five weeks, setting the mark for an artist’s debut single in the Broadcast Data Systems era of the chart.

Track Listing for Blake Shelton Debut 2001 Album:

1. “Every Time I Look at You” (Blake Shelton, Doug Johnson)

2.”All Over Me” (Shelton, Earl Thomas Conley, Mike Pyle)

3. “She Doesn’t Know She’s Got It”(John Rich, Chris Waters, Tom Shapiro)

4. “Austin” (Kirsti Manna, David Kent)

5. “Ol’ Red” (James “Bo” Bohan, Don Goodman, Mark Sherrill)

6. “I Thought There Was Time” (Bobby Braddock)

7. “Same Old Song” (Bobby Braddock)

8. “That’s What I Call Home” (Shelton, Richard Mainegra, Michael Kosser)

9. “Problems at Home” (Shelton, Billy Montana, Don Ellis)

10. “If I Was Your Man” (Lauren Braddock, Don Henry)

18 Blake Shelton Songs That We Love

18. “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” (2008)
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In the song, Blake sings about his relationship with a lover who has just left him. He expresses regret over having not attempted to keep her from leaving. The song became Shelton's fifth number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in February 2009.
17. “The Baby” (2002)
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The song describes how a mother thinks of her children. Blake sings as he describes being the youngest child in his family and tells of various situations where he is referred to as "the baby" of the family. It was released in October 2002 as the first single from Shelton's album ‘The Dreamer.’
16. “Came Here to Forget” (2016)
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Released as the lead single from Blake's tenth studio album, ‘If I'm Honest.’ It was hailed for its progressive production and his expressive performance.
15. “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” (2010)
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The title says it all. It's a ballad in which the narrator wants to know the characteristics his lover's hiding from him (e.g. "Do you paint your toes 'cause you bite your nails?"). It was another chart-topper for Shelton.
14. “God Gave Me You” (2011)
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Blake has a lot of songs with "God" in them; in this one Shelton heard Dave Barnes' version of the song on a contemporary Christian station and said that it had inspired him to propose to then-girlfriend Miranda Lambert.
13. “Minimum Wage” (2020)
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Following the live debut of "Minimum Wage" in December 2020, the general public described the money-centric lyrics as insensitive and tone-deaf, amidst the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shelton later addressed the criticism, revealing he felt that some people misinterpreted the song.
12. “Lonely Tonight” (featuring Ashley Monroe) (2014)
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"Lonely Tonight" is a bittersweet song about a one-night stand, with Blake and Monroe playing ex-lovers who reconnect for one last night. The song received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
11. “I’ll Name the Dogs” (2017)
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This song was released on September 11, 2017, as the first single of Shelton's 2017 album ‘Texoma Shore.’
10. “Some Beach” (2004)
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On this fun twist of the song title, Blake sings of dealing with frustrations, such as being flipped off in traffic on the highway and having to wait all afternoon at the dentist's office, by wishing that he were "on some beach, somewhere."
9. “Dive Bar” (with Garth Brooks) (2019)
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t’s never a bad thing when Garth Brooks asks you to join him on a duet and this song hits the mark. This song was released in 2019 in part to promote Brooks’ "Dive Bar Tour."
8. “Boys ‘Round Here”(featuring Pistol Annies and Friends) (2013)
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A fun collaboration with his then-wife Miranda Lambert and her trio, the Pistol Annies. Shelton said of the song, "That song had me from the first because I thought about all the guys I know back in Tishomingo. None of them listened to The Beatles. They listened to Hank, or these days you'll hear Jason Aldean blaring out of somebody's car coming from a mile away. It's just how they are, and that song is just written exactly how I live."
7. “Honeybee” (2011)
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An up-tempo joy of a song that reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in July 2011. The song also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Solo Performance, but it lost to Taylor Swift's "Mean."
6. “Hillbilly Bone”(featuring Trace Adkins) (2009)
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A monster song and a big hit featuring Blake and his buddy Trace Adkins, who like Shelton stands 6’6. The song won the 2010 Academy of Country Music award for "Vocal Event of the Year," giving Blake his first Academy of Country Music award.
5. “Ol’ Red” (2002)
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A true classic for Shelton. This song is a remake. It was first recorded by George Jones, then Kenny Rogers but it was Blake that put the real stamp on it and it’s one of his signature songs.
4. “Happy Anywhere” (featuring Gwen Stefani) (2020)
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The second duet from Blake and Gwen. The song was recently nominated for an Academy of Country Music awards and Shelton joked with us if it didn’t win, the awards were rigged. It did not win. The lyrics pertain to the couple's relationship and describe being able to find happiness anywhere, which alludes to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. “Austin” (2001)
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Blake’s very first single and his first number one song. "Austin" tied a record set by Billy Ray Cyrus in 1992. Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" stayed atop the chart for five weeks, setting the mark for an artist's debut single in the Broadcast Data Systems era of the chart.
2. “God’s Country” (2018)
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A powerful song. Shelton first heard the song while working on his farm in Oklahoma. He said at the time, "I had to stop and just listen to this song because the song was talking to me about a place that I was in at that moment, which was a place in the middle of nowhere that meant something to me that probably nobody else could ever understand, what that is and what it is inside of me and what my connection is to the land."
1.”Nobody but You” (with Gwen Stefani) (2020)
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An infectious song sung by two people in love. A duet with his soon-to-be wife Gwen Stefani, the song received the Collaborative Video of the Year accolade at the 2020 […]

Nancy Brooks has been working in the country music industry for almost 30 years. She has interviewed pretty much any country star you can think of. In the late 1990s, she started working with Dolly Parton. And yes, Nancy reports that Parton is as sweet as you would think. She loves her life in country music and has been backstage at every CMA Awards show since the late 1990s. Many of her stories are from her one-on-one interviews. She was there at the beginning of the incredible careers of many music superstars today, including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton, and has interviewed them multiple times throughout the years.

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Author Nancy Brooks // Country Writer, Beasley Media Group

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Blake Shelton’s Debut Album Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary

18 Blake Shelton Songs That We Love

18. “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” (2008)

17. “The Baby” (2002)

16. “Came Here to Forget” (2016)

15. “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” (2010)

14. “God Gave Me You” (2011)

13. “Minimum Wage” (2020)

12. “Lonely Tonight” (featuring Ashley Monroe) (2014)

11. “I’ll Name the Dogs” (2017)

10. “Some Beach” (2004)

9. “Dive Bar” (with Garth Brooks) (2019)

8. “Boys ‘Round Here”(featuring Pistol Annies and Friends) (2013)

7. “Honeybee” (2011)

6. “Hillbilly Bone”(featuring Trace Adkins) (2009)

5. “Ol’ Red” (2002)

4. “Happy Anywhere” (featuring Gwen Stefani) (2020)

3. “Austin” (2001)

2. “God’s Country” (2018)

1.”Nobody but You” (with Gwen Stefani) (2020)

Get The Country 102.5 Special Access Newsletter Sent To Your Inbox.

Enjoy the latest Country music, entertainment news, local happening you need to know, plus exclusive contests, games, and more!

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