The following article includes references to alcohol use.
Blake Shelton has a lot going for him. He made it as a country star before consolidating his celeb status on “The Voice,” married a ’90s icon, and became the family man he had always envisioned being. He seemingly has it all, but his way to the top was also marked by difficulty. At just 14, Shelton had to come to terms with the tragic death of his big brother, who died in a car accident along with his girlfriend and her toddler.
It wouldn’t be the only big loss he would experience. In his 30s, Shelton lost his father after a lengthy period of declining health. In addition to his family tragedies, Shelton has had a hard time coming to terms with the negative impacts of his drinking habits. While he had a boastful attitude toward drinking in the past, Shelton now wants to quit — and is struggling to do so. That’s just one of the lifestyle changes he sought to implement after getting together with Gwen Stefani.
Becoming a stepfather to her boys inspired Shelton to step away from his TV career to focus on his family after realizing how he had let work become all-consuming. And Shelton reportedly wants to be even more of a family man, as he and Stefani are said to want to expand their brood. But that is proving to be a lot more complicated than they anticipated. Shelton is a fortunate guy, but his life hasn’t been free of adversities.
Blake Shelton lost his father in 2012
Blake Shelton mourned the death of his father, Dick Shelton, in January 2012. Because of his loss, the country singer postponed tour dates so he could spend time with his loved ones. “I appreciate your understanding during this difficult time and thank you for all your prayers. Your support means the world to me. I love you guys,” Blake, then 35, wrote on his website (via People). At 71, Dick died after a long period of health struggles.
Dick had been hospitalized with pneumonia a month earlier, a moment that was on Blake’s mind during the 2011 American Country Awards. “I want to say ‘hi’ to my dad back home,” he said while accepting an award. “He’s been having a pretty rough couple of weeks. I know he’s watching back at home, and I love you, Dad.” Blake had been hopeful his father would recover, tweeting that he was expected to be released that week (via 92.5 The Ranch). But his health took a turn.
Contending with his loss was hard, as Blake’s father had been a major influence in his life ever since he could remember. As the stepfather to Blake’s older brother, Dick taught him the true meaning of being a father. “He took Richie on and raised him from the time he was 1 years old and my brother never thought of my dad as anything other than his dad,” Blake said at the Country Radio Seminar in 2022 (via ABC News).
Blake Shelton’s brother tragically died at 24
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Blake Shelton suffered his first big loss when he was just a teenager. In November 1990, Richie Shelton died after the car he was traveling in collided with a school bus in Ada, Oklahoma. His girlfriend, who was driving, and her 3-year-old son also died. Blake, just 14, had his world turned upside-down. “It was literally like the world went silent. There was a void in my world all of a sudden, and I’m still not over it,” he told Cowboys & Indians in 2018. “I’m just used to it.”
It took Blake a long time to even accept that Richie was gone. For weeks afterward, he kept having the urge to share things with his brother, only to remember he couldn’t. “I was picking up the phone to call him, to tell him something I just saw on TV or, and it was like constantly a shock to me that he was dead,” he said on “60 Minutes” in 2014. As the little brother, Blake looked up to Richie. “I would be sitting there going, ‘Man, that guy’s my hero. That’s the coolest guy. He’s my big brother,'” he said.
Decades have passed, but Richie is always on Blake’s mind. In 2011, Blake and his then-wife, Miranda Lambert, co-wrote the song “Over You” to help him grieve after she learned he’d never written about Richie. “I was like, ‘Well, could we write it?'” she said on “Essentials Radio” in 2021 (via Today).
Blake Shelton has a complicated relationship with alcohol
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Blake Shelton never claimed to suffer from addiction, but he recognizes his alcohol consumption may have gotten out of hand. In December 2023, he opened up about wanting to make positive changes while admitting that his attempts at drinking less had been unsuccessful up to that point. “I haven’t managed to stop drinking yet. That’s been, you know, even cutting back has been hard,” he told ET. But he remained hopeful. “It’s a resolution though. And I’ll say it again right now — that’s my New Year’s resolution, is to either cut back or stop drinking altogether,” he said.
It’s unclear whether he could fulfill his 2024 resolution of cutting back. He certainly hasn’t quit, evidenced by his collab on Post Malone’s “Pour Me a Drink,” a song that talks about getting drunk to help cope with problems. In social media posts about the song, Shelton often appeared with a cup in his hand. In a May Instagram post, he raised a glass in celebration while watching Malone on his phone. In behind-the-scenes footage he shared from the music video, he was also featured holding a cup throughout.
But Shelton has come a long way. In 2011, he had an unapologetic take on his drinking habits. “My heart and soul is being a redneck, and drinking, and being stupid,” he told CNN. He even vowed to never give up the habit. “I drink alcohol, and I always will until I die,” he said.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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Blake Shelton is proud of everything he has accomplished in his career. But he also feels he may have worked a little too much at times. When Shelton became a stepfather, he began to look at his work-life balance with different eyes. “I think being a stepdad has changed my perspective in that I’m not the first person that I think about anymore,” he told “Access Hollywood” in 2023. That’s what motivated Shelton to leave “The Voice” after 12 years in 2022.
Instead of dedicating time to the reality competition, Shelton wanted to invest in his relationship with Gwen Stefani’s three sons and go back to making music. A show like “The Voice” requires too much attention to shoot and promote on top of other priorities. “I just feel like those days are behind me for now. I got a more important job,” he said. In some ways, the time and effort the show required made Shelton lose track of other important aspects of his life. “Before you know it, you go, ‘My God, where have the last 10 years gone?'” he told People in November 2024.
After retiring from TV, Shelton vowed to be more selective about the projects he takes on. “I’ve just kind of been trying to be very mindful of the next thing that I do, be thoughtful about it and be sure that I’m not just doing things because I’m on the hamster wheel anymore,” he said.
Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are reportedly struggling to have a baby
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Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani met later in life. While the timeline offered them a second chance at true love, it also came with obstacles. Stefani was already in her late 40s and Shelton was about to turn 40, which meant the chances of having children of their own were slimmer. But they were reportedly hopeful they’d find a way. According to a source close to Shelton, expanding their family was a bigger priority than even tying the knot. “Right now they are hyper-focused on getting pregnant,” the insider told Us Weekly in 2017.
They reportedly had high hopes that they would be able to get pregnant, given that Stefani had her third baby when she was 44. “They believe there is still a chance for Gwen,” the insider said. But if this story was true, the couple seemingly had a change of heart a few years later, with Stefani and Shelton celebrating their big wedding before any baby news. They haven’t given up, though. After realizing that naturally conceiving might not be in the cards, they reportedly started looking at alternatives.
“They’ve had surrogates on board, but something always seems to fall through at the last minute. It’s been a struggle,” a source told Life & Style in April 2024. The couple hasn’t commented on their plans for their family, but Stefani teased fans on April Fool’s Day in 2016 by sharing a sonogram. “It’s a girl,” she captioned the Instagram post. And Shelton clapped back at speculation they were expecting twins.
