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Blake Shelton, during an interview at the Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) Country Music Awards, tells the story of how he came across “Austin” and how he became a country star.

Shelton’s first album, the self-titled Blake Shelton , was already completed by the time “Austin” was released. The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard Country Music chart and was awarded gold status. It has since become platinum. Two weeks before he released his album, Shelton’s first music video premiered on Country MusicTelevision (CMT). The video featured a production stage on which Shelton was standing in front of a first-generation Ford Mustang and singing “Austin” to an uncredited woman on a projector screen. “All Over Me” and “Ol’ Red,” his follow-up singles, placed on the charts at Nos. 14 and 18, respectively. “Ol’ Red” got its own fast-paced music video with cameo appearances from Bobby Braddock, his mentor-turned producer; Kirsti Manna, co-writer of his hit “Austin”; NASCAR racer Elliott Sadler; and actor J.K. Simmons. Shelton attended the 2001 BMI Country Awards and his “All Over Me” won a place on the Top 50 Country Songs chart.

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Blake Shelton