Exactly 20 years ago this weekend, Blake Shelton released his debut album, Austin, a project that would kick-start his career in country music stardom.
To celebrate, Blake has shared a new Amazon Original acoustic version of the album's title track, which was also his debut single and first-ever number-one hit.
“Man — 20 years may have passed, but sometimes I still feel like the kid from Oklahoma I was back then,” Blake tells People of the milestone.
“Austin' is the first song we ever released from the album, and it is still a cornerstone of my live shows. I'm excited to share a new version of one of the most important songs of my career with an Amazon Original,” he continues, adding that he's grateful the song's message continues to resonate with fans, even its lyrics are a little outdated.
“I'm not sure how many people actually have an answering machine' anymore, but the song is still as powerful and special as the first time I ever sang it,” Blake adds.
The 20th anniversary of his debut album's release comes during an exciting moment in the singer's personal life: Just under a month ago, he got married to his pop superstar girlfriend of five years, Gwen Stefani.
Coming up, Blake will hit the road, resuming his Friends and Heroes Tour after over a year of pandemic-induced shutdowns. The 2021 dates kick off on August 18 in Omaha, Nebraska.
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