Blake Shelton Once Felt Writing ‘Ol’Red’ Was the Biggest Risk He Took in His Career
Blake Shelton recruited a dedicated fanbase with his country hits, which allowed him to enjoy a long music career. But there was one record he admitted was a huge gamble that could’ve cost him his record deal, and perhaps even his career.
How Blake Shelton put his music career on the line with ‘Ol’ Red’
“Ol’ Red” was a personal musical highlight for Shelton. The song was originally created by earlier country music star George Jones in the 1990s. Shelton would recreate his own version of the single, accompanying the song with a very cinematic music video.
The music video saw Shelton portraying an inmate planning to make his escape from a Georgia prison. While serving his sentence, the inmate befriended a dog that also played a large role in the narrative. The song achieved early success, which was a pleasant surprise for Shelton. The Voice host believed it would’ve taken a while for the record to find momentum.
“I was prepared for it to be slow in the beginning, and it wasn’t,” Shelton once said in an interview with CMT. “Once we put ‘Austin’ out, it took off. I’m just now starting to get a grip on it. I’m really settling into what I do, and I’m real comfortable with it, and man, I hope to be doing this 20 years from now.”
The song’s success might’ve also caught Shelton off guard due to its uniqueness. In a resurfaced interview with The Boot, the artist reminded that “Ol’ Red’s” subject matter wasn’t common in country music. When Shelton decided to make a music video for the record, he wasn’t convinced it would succeed. If it didn’t, he offered to leave his record label as a gamble, which would’ve dented his career.
“I remember telling the head of Warner Brothers that if they’d just make a video for ‘Ol’ Red’ … and if it didn’t work, they could drop me from the label,” Shelton said. “I talked him into it, which was a big risk at the time because this was in 2001 when there really weren’t any songs about going to jail, killing somebody … or dogs! It could’ve easily backfired. If we hadn’t made that video, people wouldn’t have gotten the song.”
Although that wouldn’t be the only time Shelton worried his career was over. Still, the singer’s legacy and star-power continued to grow afterwards.
Blake Shelton didn’t know why ‘Ol’Red’ became his signature song
Shelton has had several other hits that experienced more commercial success than “Ol’Red”. But the record held a deeper place in his fans’ hearts than a lot of other more popular songs. According to Shelton, the general love for “Ol’ Red” was at its strongest during concerts.
“‘Ol’ Red’ is so unique, and it’s definitely stood the test of time. It’s not anywhere close to being one of my biggest radio hits. ‘Ol’ Red’ peaked at No. 12 or No. 13, but for whatever reason, over time, it has become my signature song. In the concerts, from the time I walk onstage until the time I do it, people are shouting, ‘Sing ‘Ol’ Red,’ damn it! That’s why we came!’ It’s shocking to me, but it’s a good thing to have one of those songs — a signature thing that doesn’t get old,” Shelton said in a separate CMT interview.
The Red River artist also pointed out that “Ol’ Red” had more longevity than some of his more commercial projects.
“You can have a big hit like ‘The Baby,’ and for a year after it was a hit, people are excited when you play it. Now, as big as that was at radio, ‘Ol’ Red’ is four times as big live, because it never gets old. It’s such a unique song. It’s fun. I don’t know what it is about it but it has that magic,” Shelton said.
