Shelton revels in busy touring schedule

The success won't last forever, so he's enjoying it now, the singer says.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Country singer Blake Shelton knows what it's like to be the young kid on the block whose youth belies his success.
Such was the case in 2001 when his self-titled debut yielded No. 1 song "Austin," as well as hit singles "All Over Me" and "Ol' Red." However, paybacks are, well, perhaps unexpected, which is what the contemporary singer-songwriter, who recently turned the big 3-0, is experiencing firsthand.
"I see it all around me," laughed Shelton, calling from his tour bus in upstate New York. "When I first had my first hit, I think I was 24 and now I see artists coming up that are -- dat gum -- in their teens, it seems like. And then they come up to you and say, 'I used to listen to your album in high school.'"
He added, "And I say, 'Don't ever tell me that. Now get out of here.'"
His background
Born in Ada, Okla., Shelton appeared to be on the fast track to Garth Brooks-ville right out of high school when he won the Denbo Diamond Award as one of the state's most promising entertainers. A move to Nashville humbled him a bit but eventually he was signed, with his debut album opening concert doors to honky tonks and fairgrounds around the nation.
After 2003's "The Dreamer" produced hit single "The Baby," Shelton came right back with his third effort "Blake Shelton's Barn & amp; Grille." The nearly-platinum album featured "Some Beach," which sat in the No. 1 position for four consecutive weeks, as well as hits "Goodbye Time" and "Nobody Like Me."
Shelton said his success is based around an incessant touring schedule, which keeps him on the road for the majority of the year.
"You just have to look at it like this thing isn't going to last forever and you have to make the most of it while you can and make as many memories as you can," Shelton said. "Because one of these days you're not going to be cool anymore and people are going to forget about you whether you like it or not, so you just have to make the most fun out of it while it's happening."
What's next?
Up next for Shelton is his fourth album, which he said is definitely country but a "little bit more raw" than his previous efforts. The still-untitled CD is due out in early 2007. Fans attending his upcoming Canfield Fair appearance opening for Montgomery Gentry on Sept. 3 at the grandstand can expect to hear new tracks "The More I Drink" and "She Don't Hate Me Anymore." Odds are one of the songs will be the lead single, due out this fall.
Having eased into a successful recording and touring career, Shelton realizes the only thing he has complete control over is his legacy.
"At the end of the day, when this is all said and done, I just want to be a guy that was known for his songs and not an image or something I did stupid along the way," Shelton said. "That's what I always loved about Conway Twitty, when people think about him they just think about great songs. I want to be that guy."