9781422273234

CHAPTER 1

A NEW FACE IN THE COUNTRY Upon the release of his first single “Austin,” Blake Shelton’s song quickly became a hit. “Austin” debuted at No. 58 on Billboard Country Music charts. The single climbed the charts, ultimately claiming the No. 1 spot for five weeks. Almost as soon as “Austin” was released, Giant Records went out of business, leaving the fate of the single and of Shelton’s career unknown. Luckily, the song and Shelton’s record deal passed effortlessly into the hands of Warner Brothers, allowing Shelton to continue building his career without a hitch. A STAR IS BORN “Giant Records closed on a Friday, and the next Monday my record debuted on the charts and I thought it was over. I thought, ‘That’s it, I’m out of here.’ But Warner Bros. got excited about it, embraced me and it’s just been incredible. They’ve just taken the ball and ran with it. It’s been great. They’re really, really working hard for me.”

11

a star is born