Country Singer Blake Shelton Lends His Voice to TWRA

By TWRA

April 08, 2003

(NASHVILLE) - Country singer Blake Shelton shot into stardom with the hits "Ol' Red" and "Austin," which spent 5 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard country singles chart. His current single, "The Baby", is in heavy rotation on radio and the video is a hit on TV. He was nominated for an American Music Award in 2001 and performed at the 35th Annual Country Music Association Awards Show.

Shelton recently lent his voice and image to Public Service Announcements produced by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to inform the public about protecting the state's wildlife and their habitats.

Over the years, TWRA has drawn from a select list of celebrity figures with genuine interest in the outdoors to help inform the public about various subjects such as boating safety, hunter education and Free Fishing Day. Shelton is the most recent addition to the list, which over the years has included names like Alan Jackson, Hank Williams Jr., Aaron Tippen, John Anderson, Louise Mandrell, Isaac Hayes, Jerry Reed, Tom T. Hall and Mel Tillis.

An avid hunter, Shelton knows the importance of keeping wildlife populations healthy and maintaining habitats for them. Recently, he enlisted the help of TWRA Wildlife Manager George Buttrey in reclaiming a portion of his property in Hickman County that had been logged for timber. Buttrey, through a TWRA program designed to assist landowners in wildlife enhancement, advised Shelton on how to transform the land into a suitable environment for wild game. This experience was featured in a segment on Tennessee's Wild Side, the TV show produced by TWRA.

"It's a natural partnership," says Dave Woodward, TWRA's Information and Education Chief, "we are very pleased to be working with an avid sportsman like Blake".

The PSAs will soon begin airing on TV and radio. Viewers may also catch Tennessee's Wild Side, including the episode featuring Blake Shelton, on Public Television across the state. Check local listings for airtimes in your area.