{"id":1646,"date":"2014-10-21T10:48:53","date_gmt":"2014-10-21T15:48:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/?page_id=1646"},"modified":"2014-12-02T14:42:40","modified_gmt":"2014-12-02T20:42:40","slug":"red-river-blue-2011","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/music\/red-river-blue-2011\/","title":{"rendered":"Red River Blue (2011)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Alyssa Hazen. 21 October 2014.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Red<\/a>Blake Shelton has been on the country music scene for over a decade. However, the release of his sixth studio album, Red River Blue<\/em>, and his involvement with mega-hit show, The Voice,<\/em> took Shelton\u2019s career to unbelievable new heights. Today, he is one of the most popular and influential personalities on television. Shelton also sets a great example for the ever changing ways of the music industry. This album reflects on elements of country music\u2019s past while tying in modern sounds of country to hopefully appeal to new audiences.<\/p>\n

Although Blake Shelton had many country hits, including \u201cAustin,\u201d his participation on the instant hit show The Voice <\/em><\/a>created an even bigger platform. The Voice<\/em> is a reality singing competition on network television that prides itself on focusing on a contestant\u2019s voice rather than appearance. Four superstar coaches relevant in today\u2019s music industry sit in giant red chairs with their backs turned, waiting to hear a special voice to turn their chairs for. Throughout the competition, the coaches create teams and guide contestants with their expertise in the industry to hopefully win the show or at least get their names out there. Blake Shelton has been a coach on the show since the very beginning with the show now in its seventh season.<\/p>\n

\"Blake<\/a>As the show continues to grow, Shelton continues to gain popularity. Every week over 12 million viewers tune in with over 5 million in the younger 18- 49 demographic waiting to hear what crazy thing Blake says next. He has won the show three times, more than any other judge, and he did it all in consecutive seasons. There is something about that fatherly instinct with contestants and witty banter with fellow judge Adam Levine<\/a> that have viewers swooning over the country star. His \u201csense of humor and friendly but slightly naughty playfulness through interviews, Twitter, and as host and mentor on the TV singing program\u00a0The Voice\u201d <\/em>give Shelton a wider appeal than just \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 country music lovers (Heaton 1).<\/p>\n

Shelton\u2019s album Red River Blue<\/em> mixes some of the old, familiar elements of country music with a new, modern sound that seems to be slowly taking over the genre. For example, the song \u201cGood Ole Boys,\u201d seems like a tribute to Hank Williams Jr.<\/a> with an outlaw, rock twist and familiar references to country ideals such as lines like \u201clivin\u2019 life the cowboy way\u201d and \u201cworking on the farm.\u201d The broken ballad \u201cRed River Blue\u201d is a duet with fellow country superstar and wife, Miranda Lambert<\/a>, accompanied by country classics such as the accordion, fiddle and acoustic guitar. His rendition of \u201cGod Gave Me You\u201d shows Shelton can also blend well in a new era of country, mixing elements of rock with country. Red River Blue<\/em> showcases his versatility as an artist as well as the bubbly personality viewers have grown to adore on The Voice.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"blake-shelton-redbook-0212-1\"<\/a><\/em>Shelton\u2019s \u201clikeable, smirking goofball persona\u201d has spread into his music giving this album a \u201clooser atmosphere than previous ones\u201d (Heaton 1). The song \u201cGet Some\u201d showcases Shelton\u2019s charm and witty personality with lines like \u201cYou get gas, you get beer\/You get drunk, you get weird.\u201d Here, Blake exudes that classic hilarity that has made him so popular on the show. Shelton\u2019s \u201cgreatest strength is his personal charm and storytelling ability,\u201d and this album showcases that by displaying his goofy, fun- natured personality into the songs (Morrison 1).Blake Shelton has created a rather large following of loyal fans and first time listeners thanks to his new direction in this album.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>Red River Blue<\/em> was scheduled to be released in late July of 2011. However, due to Shelton\u2019s instant popularity on The Voice<\/em>, his record label decided to drop the album about a month early while the show was still airing. This strategic move proved to be successful as Shelton claimed the top spot on the Billboard 200 Chart<\/a> for the first time in his career. He also earned three Grammy nominations<\/a> and Male Vocalist of the Year at the Country Music Awards<\/a> for Red River Blue. He debuted \u201cHoney Bee,\u201d one of the four singles off this album, on a live edition of\u00a0The Voice.<\/em><\/p>\n

The show opened doors to many new listeners, including those who may have never heard of Shelton before. By releasing the album at the same time he was being beloved by millions of television viewers, Shelton became more mainstream and not just that country boy who used to have a mullet. The expansion of the album\u2019s sound from pure classic country to a more modern up-tempo beat, Shelton opened up the doors for listeners who may not have had an interest in country or even knew what it was about until now.<\/p>\n

What makes this album so relevant today is the undeniable fact that a reality singing competition helped to raise awareness and spread interest in the album in dramatic fashion. Even Blake credits The Voice<\/em> for his outrageous success stating, \u201cIf it hadn\u2019t been for The Voice<\/em>\u00a0and the success of that show, my music career probably wouldn\u2019t have gotten to the level that it\u2019s at. I want to make the most of it. This is what I\u2019ve been waiting for my whole life\u2026 I\u2019m going to have fun with it (Edwards 1).\u201d Although Shelton is clearly a success story, people have raised many questions such as is participating in reality competitions selling out?<\/p>\n

\"1396836609_miranda-lambert-blake-shelton-zoom\"<\/a>Many people criticize the authenticity of reality singing competitions and their effect on the music industry. One recent public debacle occurred when fellow country singer Eric Church<\/a> called reality competition shows a waste of time and selling out. Church\u2019s statements are not uncommon, however, with so many celebrities participating and performing on competition shows these days this trend is not likely to lose steam anytime soon. In Caramanica\u2019s article, he explains how appearing on a singing competition show is beneficial to the musicians. He states how recording contracts and viable careers are often the \u201ccarrots dangled in front of these contestants,\u201d yet just being on the show seems to have a positive impact on careers (1). The author believes the evolution of changing \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 technology is good for musicians to directly get their music out to the general public.<\/p>\n

\"blake-shelton-cassidy-pope-the-voice\"<\/a>The sudden emergence of a new platform has opened the doors for artists everywhere. Using his large influence, Blake Shelton has become a spokesperson for artists to branch out of their genres and showcase their talents, even including the country music world. Blake has used his time as a coach on the voice to advocate for the resurgence of country music with a twist. For instance, his contestant, winner of season four of The Voice<\/em>, Cassadee Pope<\/a> has made a name for herself in the country music industry, blending classic rock with country elements. Shelton endorses a new sound, starting with this album that proves that country today knows no boundaries only wide open possibilities.<\/p>\n

In conclusion, Blake Shelton\u2019s album Red River Blue<\/em> mixes that old familiar country sound with a new modern sound that is slowly increasing in the country music industry. This album tells how Blake is mixing the old and new sounds of country music appealing to listeners for generations to come. He has become more than just a lovable country singer, but rather a mainstream phenomenon. By embracing his role as a cultural influencer, \u201cdown home, charismatic, big hearted, country boy\u201d Shelton recognizes that an artist must continually adapt and connect with the times to remain relevant (Edwards 1). As Joe Caramanica suggests, \u201cthe old game isn\u2019t worth playing anymore, and new kinds of stardom awaits\u201d (Caramanica 1).<\/p>\n

\n

Track Listing<\/span>:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. “Honey Bee” (R. Akins, B. Hayslip)<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. ” Ready to Roll” (J. Beavers, J. Singleton, C. Stapleton)<\/li>\n
  3. “God Gave Me You” (D. Barnes)<\/li>\n
  4. “Get Some” (Z. Maloy, C. Tompkins, C. Wiseman)<\/li>\n
  5. “Drink On It” (J. Alexander, R. Clawson, J. Randall)<\/li>\n
  6. “Good Ole Boys” (D. Davidson)<\/li>\n
  7. “I’m Sorry” ft. Martina McBride (C. DuBois, A. Gorley, C. Stapleton)<\/li>\n
  8. “Sunny in Seattle” (J. Beavers, C. DuBois, C. Stapleton)<\/li>\n
  9. “Over”<\/a> (P. Jenkins, D. Johnson)<\/li>\n
  10. “Hey” (C. Lagerberg, C. Tompkins, C. Wiseman)<\/li>\n
  11. “Red River Blue” ft. Miranda Lambert (R. Stephenson, B. Owens)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Works Cited<\/span><\/p>\n

    Caramanica, Jon. “Singers Embrace the TV Road to Stardom<\/a>.” The New York Times<\/em>. 21 May 2011. The New York Times. Web. 6 Oct. 2014.<\/p>\n

    Edwards, Veverly. \u201cBlake Shelton- all the world is singing country with you<\/a>.\u201d LibertyVoice<\/em>. 8 June 2013. Web. 14 Oct. 2014.<\/p>\n

    Heaton, Dave. \u201cBlake Shelton: Red River Blue<\/a>.\u201d PopMatters<\/em>. 22 August 2011.Web. 14 Oct. 2014.<\/p>\n

    Morrison, Allison. \u201cBlake Shelton: Red River Blue<\/a>.\u201d AmericanSongwriter.<\/em> 8 July 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2014.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Written by Alyssa Hazen. 21 October 2014. Blake Shelton has been on the country music scene for over a decade. However, the release of his sixth studio album, Red River Blue, and his involvement with mega-hit show, The Voice, took … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":1807,"parent":18,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1646","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1646"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2820,"href":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1646\/revisions\/2820"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}