When you think about all that Blake Shelton has accomplished in his nearly 20 years in the music business, it’s the little moments that stand out, right? Like that time he pulled Roho Hartman out of a flood. And when he helped create the Blake Shelton Cancer Research Program at Oklahoma City’s Jimmy Everest Center in honor of his cousin, Aspen Van Horn. And when he hosted a Healing in the Heartland concert and raised $6 million for the United Way of Central Oklahoma May Tornadoes Relief Fund.
He’s the very definition of good people.
So on Wednesday (Feb. 13), Dierks Bentley — last year’s Country Radio Seminar Artist Humanitarian recipient — turned up at the Warner Music Nashville luncheon to hand his crown over to Shelton.
When Shelton took the stage, he remained as humble as ever, downplaying his efforts.
“I think the cool thing about country artists is, I feel like we all step up, any time we get a chance. We have the easy part: We get to make music, and somehow, that helps to generate awareness for certain things. It generates money for certain things,” Shelton told the industry crowd. “And I don’t think any of us don’t step up anytime we get a chance.”
“I think at the end of the day, y’all were just trying to think of something to give me. Because I don’t win anything anymore,” he joked, “so it’s like, ’Give him the Humanitarian Award.’
“It doesn’t mean that I don’t very much appreciate it. I’m so happy. I couldn’t be more honored.”
He brought his guitar along, and played a few songs like “Austin” and “Ol’ Red” for the country radio crowd, many of whom gave Shelton some of his very first spins back in 2001. (I personally loved “Austin” so much that I found a tshirt with the lyrics on it.)