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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Blake Shelton returns to the Spokane Arena with his “Back to the Honky Tonk” tour.

Blake Shelton performs for fans on the Spokane stop of his “Friends and Heroes” tour on Feb. 15, 2020, at the Spokane Arena. The country singer and former coach on the hit TV series “The Voice” will return to Spokane on March 14.  (TYLER TJOMSLAND/The Spokesman-Review)

The charismatic singer-songwriter Blake Shelton has gold and platinum albums and 40 singles that landed on the Billboard country charts and a staggering 28 No. 1 singles. Shelton has so many chart toppers he can’t play them all during a concert unless he goes full on Bruce Springsteen or Eric Church with a marathon concert.

Shelton, 47, who will return Thursday to the Spokane Arena, is a coach on NBC’s “The Voice” and he also has the girl. His wife, celebrated singer-songwriter Gwen Stefani, is an adviser on “The Voice.”

Expect the hits when Shelton, who is on his “Back to the Honky Tonk” tour, performs. “A Guy with a Girl,” “Austin” and “Some Beach” are locks for his set. Shelton’s shows are always celebratory since the Oklahoman enjoys rendering drinking songs such as “Sangria” and “Neon Lights.”

Shelton has been a dominant force on the country charts for two decades. The laid back icon is adept at engaging the crowd. Shelton loves to banter back and forth between songs, but the majority of his two-hour set will include one familiar tune after another.

Shelton spends the majority of his time, not in Nashville but on his massive ranch in Oklahoma. And he is a huge sports fan.

Like “Tonight Show” show host Jimmy Fallon, Shelton loves the basketball team that resides in the Kennel.

“I love the Zags,” Shelton said during his 2021 “Body Language” tour, which stopped at the Spokane Arena. “I really do.”