BLAKE SHELTON’S “FRIENDS & HEROES” TOUR KICKS OFF WITH SOLD-OUT SHOWS, ELECTRIC PERFORMANCES, AND UNFORGETTABLE COUNTRY MUSIC MOMENTS

Blake Shelton and his “Friends & Heroes” Tour launched to roaring crowds this past weekend, delivering a powerhouse celebration of country music, friendship, and unforgettable performances. The sold-out run kicked off Thursday night at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY, before rolling into Knoxville, TN, and Greensboro, NC, where fans were treated to a one-of-a-kind experience blending classic hits, new favorites, and legendary collaborations.

From the moment Shelton hit the stage, the energy was electric. “Blake Shelton Pours Out The Love To Country Heroes,” raved the Lexington Herald-Leader, while the Knoxville News described it as an “epic country party.” Fans sang along, raised their glasses, and reveled in a night that honored country music’s past and present.

Opening act Emily Ann Roberts set the tone with a high-energy 25-minute set before Shelton stormed the stage with his latest No. 1 hit, “Pour Me A Drink.” Welcoming the crowd with his signature humor, he joked, “My doctor’s got me on medication, and now I only care about three things: drinking, having fun, and country music!”

The night was filled with special moments as Shelton shared the spotlight with some of his biggest influences and longtime friends. Craig Morgan took the stage next, performing fan favorites “Redneck Yacht Club,” “That’s What I Love About Sunday,” and “International Harvester.” Later, Deana Carter captivated the crowd with a three-song set, wrapping up with her timeless CMA Award-winning No. 1 hit, “Strawberry Wine,” which had the audience swaying and singing along.

Shelton kept the momentum going, delivering a mix of classics and new hits, including “Honey Bee,” “Austin,” and his fast-rising Top 10 single, “Texas.” Then came a show-stopping moment as Trace Adkins took the stage performing his hits, “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” “You’re Gonna Miss This,” and “Ladies Love Country Boys.” Shelton then joined Adkins for their duets “Hell Right” and “Hillbilly Bone.”

As the night neared its end, Shelton, Adkins, Morgan, and Carter took center stage for an intimate acoustic set, creating a moment of camaraderie that underscored the heart of the “Friends & Heroes” tour. Shelton then brought it all home with a five-song finale, closing out the night with his smash hit, “God Gave Me You.”

The Herald-Leader summed it up best: “The heroes were obviously his guests, but Shelton made sure he was the one pouring the drinks.”

With the opening weekend behind him, Shelton and his “Friends & Heroes” are just getting started. Fans can expect more unforgettable nights as the tour continues throughout the month. 

Photo Credit: Jamie Wendt

FRIENDS & HEROES 2025
March 6 - Newark, NJ / Prudential Center

March 7 - Boston, MA / TD Garden

March 8 - Albany, NY / MVP Arena

March 13 - Greenville, SC / Bon Secours Wellness Arena

March 14 - North Charleston, SC / North Charleston Coliseum

March 15 - Atlanta, GA / State Farm Arena

March 20 - Baltimore, MD / CFG Bank Arena

March 21 - Uncasville, CT / Mohegan Sun Arena

March 22 -State College, PA / Bryce Jordan Center


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Emily Ann Roberts Signs Worldwide Publishing Deal with Jody Williams Songs and Warner Chappell Music

Songwriter-artist Emily Ann Roberts has signed a world-wide publishing agreement with Jody Williams Songs and Warner Chappell Music.
 
“Emily Ann is a classic, crafting songs that are as genuine as they are charming,” shares Nina Fisher, Senior Creative Director of JWS. “When we reconnected this summer to talk songs over coffee, it felt like finding the perfect fit—everything just clicked in such an exciting, refreshing way. She is such a remarkable talent, and we can’t wait to help her shape this next season of her career.”
 
“I am so thrilled to work with the whole team at Jody Williams Songs,” adds Roberts “I can’t wait to see all we accomplish together.”
 
Roberts’ journey began as a standout on Blake Shelton's team on “The Voice,” a remarkable achievement even before graduating high school. Since then, Roberts has amassed a wealth of experience in performing, songwriting and recording. This dedication has translated into over 45 million streams, solidifying her status as a rising star in country music. In late 2023, Roberts released her debut full-length album, Can’t Hide Country, produced by Trent Willmon (Cody Johnson). The album, which has already garnered over 23 million streams, showcases her unique blend of traditional country and bluegrass roots with a modern twist. Roberts’ star continues to rise, with her inclusion in the CMT Next Women of Country 2024 class. She will open Blake Shelton’s Friends & Heroes Tour in 2025.
 
Roberts’ career is guided by Starstruck Management’s Narvel Blackstock and is booked by UTA with 117 Entertainment for publicity.

Photo ID (L to R): Cliff Williamson (Starstruck), Berkley Kriz (Starstruck), Narvel Blackstock (Starstruck), Jamie Wendt (Starstruck), Emily Ann Roberts, Jody Williams (JWS), Nina Jenkins Fisher (JWS), Tennessee Courtright (JWS) | Photo Credit: Aubrey Wise

Blake Shelton Announces 2024 "Back To The Honky Tonk Tour"

This year on his headlining arena tour, country music superstar Blake Shelton brought out the bar stools and the big hits… and the party is just getting started! Shelton announced today that the second leg of his Back To The Honky Tonk Tour presented by Kubota will launch in February 2024. Joining him on the 17-date run are Multi-Platinum, 8x chart-topping country star Dustin Lynch and rising country artist Emily Ann Roberts, who fans may recognize from her successful run on NBC’s The Voice.  

The 2024 Back To The Honky Tonk Tour presented by Kubota will span the United States and Canada, kicking off on Feb. 22 in Hershey, PA (full list of dates below). Tickets for all markets except Glendale will be available via an exclusive fan presale beginning next Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 10:00 AM local time through Thursday, Oct. 26 at 10:00 PM local time. The general on-sale will start on Friday, Oct. 27 at 10:00 AM local time.

Tickets for Glendale will be available via an exclusive fan presale beginning Tuesday, Oct. 31 at 10:00 AM local time through Thursday, Nov. 2 at 10:00 PM local time. The general on-sale for Glendale will start on Friday, Nov. 3 at 10am local time. Fans can sign up for the Exclusive Fan Presale 
HERE.

Shelton’s initial Back To The Honky Tonk run earned widespread praise: “For two hours, Shelton made [the] arena feel like a wild country bar, where just about anything could happen and he was the bartender, slinging out music instead of shots” (Louisville Courier Journal). Meanwhile, the Minneapolis Star Tribune declared, “This throwback-themed concert tour… served as a reminder that the fun, wisecracking-but-tender coach we see on television is the same fella country music audiences still love seeing onstage.” 

BACK TO THE HONKY TONK TOUR PRESENTED BY KUBOTA DATES
February 22 // Hershey, PA // GIANT Center
February 23 // Detroit, MI // Little Caesars Arena
February 24 // Milwaukee, WI // Fiserv Forum
February 29 // Lafayette, LA / CAJUNDOME
March 1 // Austin, TX // Moody Center
March 2 // Bossier City, LA // Brookshire Grocery Arena
March 7 // Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CAN // SaskTel Centre
March 8 // Edmonton, Alberta, CAN // Rogers Place
March 9 // Calgary, Alberta, CAN // Scotiabank Saddledome
March 14 // Spokane, WA // Spokane Arena
March 15 // Tacoma, WA // Tacoma Dome
March 16 // Portland, OR // Moda Center
March 21 // Fresno, CA // Save Mart Center
March 22 // Palm Springs, CA // Acrisure Arena
March 23 // Glendale, AZ // Desert Diamond Arena
March 27 // Moline, IL // Vibrant Arena at The MARK
March 29 // Wichita, KS // INTRUST Bank Arena

ABOUT BLAKE SHELTON

As the genre’s chief ambassador, Blake Shelton has been delivering country music to a diverse audience for more than 20 years. In that time, he has accumulated an astonishing 28 No. 1 singles, sold nearly 15 million album equivalents and earned upwards of 11.5 billion global streams. Shelton has received myriad awards, including six ACMs, three AMAs, 10 CMAs, 11 CMTs and six People’s Choice. He most recently earned the fan-voted “Social Star” title at the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards. A celebrated entertainer, Shelton headlined his “Back to the Honky Tonk” this year. The run earned rave reviews and boasted sold-out crowds, landing him on Billboard’s mid-year Top Tours list. 


As an original coach on the Emmy Award-winning television show The Voice, Shelton brought a steady diet of current and classic country music to the NBC primetime audience. After 23 seasons and nine championships, he stepped away from the show in May. He and Carson Daly have teamed up to executive produce and star in the high-spirited, celebrity game show, Barmageddon. Hosted by Nikki Garcia, the show airs on USA Network and premiered as the network’s highest rated debut episode in more than three years. Season Two will premiere November 13.  

The Grand Ole Opry member also remains focused on his Ole Red partnership with Ryman Hospitality, with locations currently in Tishomingo, Nashville, Gatlinburg, Orlando and a forthcoming venue in Las Vegas. A noted humanitarian, Shelton has helped raise millions of dollars for children’s hospitals, disaster relief organizations, food banks, the OK POP Museum and more in his home state of Oklahoma and beyond. 

For more information, please visit 
www.BlakeShelton.com and follow @BlakeShelton.

ABOUT DUSTIN LYNCH
Dustin Lynch has "built one of the most consistent recording careers in modern country music” (Billboard), achieving eight No. 1s, four Top 5 albums, 10 Gold and Platinum certified singles, and tallying over 5.4 BILLION cumulative global streams. His sixth studio album, Killed The Cowboy (Broken Bow Records), is boldly making a statement. The follow-up to Blue In The Sky, which delivered the history-making Platinum, six-week No. 1 “Thinking ‘Bout You (feat. MacKenzie Porter)” – the most-played song at Country radio in 2022 landing at No. 1 on the Country Aircheck and No. 2 on the Billboard Year-End Country Airplay charts – also featured nearing Top 5 single “Stars Like Confetti” and hit “Party Mode.” Launching the KILLED THE COWBOY TOUR in 2024, Lynch has headlined packed venues and toured with country’s biggest names like Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Brad Paisley and Kane Brown. Since his Platinum breakout “Cowboys and Angels” in 2012, the Tennessee native has earned industry recognition as a Grand Ole Opry member, as well as high-profile nominations for the Academy of Country Music Awards, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, iHeartRadio Music Awards, and CMT Music Awards.

ABOUT EMILY ANN ROBERTS
They say the way to the biggest stage is practice, practice, practice. And that’s exactly what Emily Ann Roberts has done, paying her dues from tiny stages in Knoxville to the biggest stage of all, the Grand Ole Opry. Since launching her career, Roberts has now played the coveted Opry stage 17 times. Before that, she made a name for herself on Blake Shelton’s team on The Voice before she’d even graduated from high school. In a way, being named as a runner-up was the biggest win of all. Because now, with all of that performing, songwriting and recording experience, Roberts has already racked up more than 35 million streams and was recently named one of Rolling Stone magazine’s Best Acts of CMA Fest. Growing up in East Tennessee, Roberts was raised on Smoky Mountain music, bluegrass players and country artists from every era: from Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton to Miranda Lambert and Cody Johnson. And all of that has prepared her to bring the country back to country music and that’s exactly what she’s doing on her debut full-length record, Can’t Hide Country, which is out now. Recorded at Starstruck Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and produced by GRAMMY-winning producer, Trent Willmon, Emily Ann's honest and captivating lyrics, along with her exceptional vocal talents, have already received widespread acclaim from both the media and her dedicated fanbase. It's abundantly clear that country music is in capable hands with Roberts at the helm.

ABOUT KUBOTA
Kubota Tractor Corporation, Grapevine, Texas, is the U.S. marketer and distributor of Kubota-engineered and manufactured machinery and equipment, including a complete line of tractors of up to 200 Gross hp performance-matched implements, compact construction equipment, consumer lawn and garden equipment, hay tools, commercial turf products and utility vehicles. For product literature or dealer locations, contact: Kubota Tractor Corporation, 1000 Kubota Drive, Grapevine, TX 76051, (888) 4-KUBOTA [(888) 458-2682], Ext. 900, or visit KubotaUSA.com.

ABOUT KUBOTA CANADA LTD. 
Kubota Canada Ltd. (KCL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kubota Corporation, a tractor and heavy equipment manufacturer based in Osaka, Japan. KCL markets and distributes Kubota engineered and manufactured machinery and equipment, including a complete line of tractors of up to 200 Gross HP, performance-matched implements, compact construction, commercial turf and landscaping products, utility vehicles and consumer lawn and garden equipment. KCL is also the Canadian distributor for Great Plains, Kverneland and Land Pride products, all of which are also wholly owned subsidiaries of Kubota Corporation.  For product literature or dealer locations, contact Kubota Canada Ltd. at 1155 Kubota Drive, Pickering, Ontario, Canada L1X 0H4, 905 294-6535, or visit 
kubota.ca.