The dusty backroads of Ada, Oklahoma, where Blake Shelton first learned to strum a guitar under the watchful eye of his mama’s porch light, have always called him home. But on September 17, 2025, as the first golden leaves of fall whispered across the plains, Shelton stepped into the spotlight of Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium to announce his triumphant return to the stage—and to the heart of his Lone Star soul. “Country As It Gets,” his bold new 2026 tour, isn’t just a collection of shows; it’s a love letter to the genre that raised him, a raucous revival of twang, heartbreak, and high-octane anthems that promise to shake the rafters of Texas arenas like never before. Kicking off in the cradle of country cool—Dallas, Houston, and Austin—the tour will spotlight Shelton’s 10 best-loved hits, reimagined with fresh fire, surprise guests, and that unshakeable Shelton swagger. Tickets go on sale October 4, but the buzz is already louder than a sold-out honky-tonk on a Friday night.

Picture this: the sun-baked sprawl of Darrell K Royal-Texas-Memorial Stadium in Austin, transformed into a sea of cowboy hats and glowing beer cozies under the Texas stars. It’s February 14, 2026—Valentine’s Day, no less—and Shelton, 49 and looking every bit the timeless troubadour in faded Wranglers and a well-worn Stetson, strides out to the thunderous roar of 100,000 fans. “Y’all ready to get as country as it gets?” he drawls, that gravelly voice cutting through the night like a well-aimed lasso. The opening riff of “Austin”—his debut smash from 2001 that spent five weeks at No. 1—rips through the speakers, and just like that, the stadium erupts. It’s not nostalgia; it’s resurrection. Shelton’s been off the road since wrapping his “Back to the Honky Tonk” tour in 2024, trading spotlights for quieter days on his Oklahoma ranch with wife Gwen Stefani. But this? This is Blake unchained, a 30-city juggernaut that starts and ends in Texas, celebrating 25 years of chart-topping chaos with the 10 songs that defined him.

The announcement at the Ryman was pure Shelton magic—a surprise pop-up show that packed the Mother Church of Country Music with 2,300 devotees, many who’d driven from Texas just to catch a whiff of what’s next. Flanked by his band, the 44, Shelton unveiled the tour name with a grin wider than the Red River. “Country music’s evolved, but the roots? They’re deeper than ever. This tour’s about stripping it back—no frills, just fire. And we’re starting where the heart beats loudest: Texas.” He teased snippets of the setlist, his fingers flying across an acoustic guitar for a stripped-down “God’s Country,” drawing tears from the front row. Social media lit up like a Fourth of July bonfire: #CountryAsItGets trended nationwide within minutes, fans from Fort Worth to Frisco flooding timelines with memes of Shelton wrangling virtual cattle. “Blake’s back, and Texas is gonna burn,” one viral post declared, racking up 50,000 likes.

Why Texas? For Shelton, it’s personal poetry. Born and bred in Oklahoma, just a stone’s throw from the border, he’s always claimed the Lone Star State as his second skin. His first arena sell-out was at Houston’s Toyota Center in 2009, and he’s headlined everything from Austin City Limits to the State Fair of Texas, where his brisket-eating contests have become legend. The 2026 tour’s Texas trifecta—Dallas at the American Airlines Center on February 7, Houston at the Toyota Center on February 21, and that mega-stadium blowout in Austin—feels like a homecoming hootenanny. “Texas ain’t just a place; it’s a feeling,” Shelton told reporters backstage, swigging from a mason jar of sweet tea (spiked, naturally). “These shows are gonna be like crashing a family reunion—loud, loving, and leaving you with stories for years.” Promoters at Live Nation predict record crowds: the Austin date alone could gross $10 million, with secondary tickets already flipping for triple face value.

At the core of “Country As It Gets” is that killer setlist: 10 of Shelton’s finest, the songs that turned a small-town dreamer into country’s everyman king. Curated by Shelton himself, it’s a greatest-hits fever dream, blending early heartbreakers with rowdy romps and soul-stirring ballads. No filler, no covers—just pure, pedal-steel soul that’ll have you two-stepping one minute and ugly-crying the next. “These are the tracks that saved me, broke me, and built me,” Shelton shared in an exclusive chat with CMT. “In Texas, we’ll crank ’em up, bring on the guests, and let the crowd sing like it’s the last night on earth.”

Kicking things off is “Austin,” the voicemail-tale breakup that launched it all. Debuting in 2001, it topped the charts for five weeks, selling over a million copies and earning Shelton his first CMA Horizon Award. On tour, expect a multimedia twist: LED screens flashing old answering machine reels as Shelton croons, “She left me a message on my machine…” By the bridge, the crowd’s chanting along, a sea of lighters waving like fireflies in the Longhorn night.

Next up: “Home,” the 2008 Michael Bublé cover that Shelton made his own, a tender ode to roots that peaked at No. 1 and snagged a Grammy nod. “Every time I sing it, I think of Ada—of Mama’s kitchen and fireflies in July,” he says. In Texas, it’ll be a family affair, with Stefani rumored to join for harmonies, turning the arena into a living room glow.

No Shelton setlist skips “Honey Bee,” the 2011 buzz-saw hit that spent four weeks at No. 1 and went platinum five times over. That playful pickup-line romp—”Girl, I been thinkin’ ’bout us”—is tailor-made for Texas tailgates, with pyrotechnics popping like champagne corks and fans buzzing the chorus back at him.

Then comes “God’s Country,” Shelton’s 2019 thunderbolt—a rock-edged anthem of faith and dirt roads that roared to No. 1 on both country and rock charts. Co-written with Grammy winners, it’s his streaming juggernaut (over 500 million plays), and in Austin, it’ll close the first act with a choir of locals, lasers slicing the sky like divine lightning.

The mid-set heartbreaker? “The Baby,” a 2003 tearjerker about a deathbed confession that held No. 1 for three weeks. “It’s the one that guts me every time,” Shelton admits. Expect tissues in the cheap seats as he delivers that raw falsetto, spotlit alone on a stool, the stadium hushed like a church pew.

Rowdy relief arrives with “Hillbilly Bone,” the 2009 Trace Adkins collab that celebrates redneck pride and hit No. 1. Adkins is slated for a Dallas cameo, their gravelly tag-team turning the floor into a mosh pit of line-dancing chaos.

“Ole Red,” Shelton’s 2002 barroom brawler—a cover of the Garth Brooks tune—follows, a rowdy No. 1 that inspired his Ole Red bar chain. In Houston, it’ll feature bar-top cameos from local bartenders, shots fired (non-alcoholic, for the drivers).

The romantic pulse quickens with “God Gave Me You,” the 2011 wedding staple that topped charts and soundtracks countless first dances. Stefani’s influence shines here—whispers of her onstage kiss during the bridge have fans swooning already.

“Nobody But You,” Shelton’s 2020 duet with Stefani, slots in next—a pandemic-era balm that hit No. 18 but stole hearts with its starry-eyed vow. “Gwen and I wrote it in quarantine; it’s our love letter,” he says. Expect confetti hearts raining down in Austin.

Capping the 10? “Boys ‘Round Here,” the 2013 bro-country banger featuring Pistol Annies (including ex-wife Miranda Lambert) that exploded to No. 1 with its cheeky shout-outs to White Lightning and Cheerwine. In Dallas, it’ll be the ultimate sing-along, the crowd’s “red, white, and blue” chant shaking the foundations.

But “Country As It Gets” is more than a playlist—it’s a production powerhouse. Shelton’s team promises Texas-sized spectacle: a 360-degree stage wrapping the pit like a rodeo ring, LED backdrops morphing from Oklahoma sunsets to Texas twisters, and pyros that could light up the Alamo. Special guests rotate—think Hardy for “God’s Country,” Megan Moroney for “Home”—keeping each night fresh. Sustainability nods abound: solar-powered rigs and farm-to-table concessions featuring Shelton’s ranch-raised beef. “We’re going green without losing the grit,” he quips.

The tour’s timing is poetic. Fresh off his 2025 album For Recreational Use Only—his first in four years, packed with whiskey-soaked wisdom—Shelton enters 2026 riding high. His Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace (eight dates in January) whets the appetite, but Texas is the main course. “Vegas is fun, but Texas? That’s where country lives and breathes,” he told Rolling Stone. With 29 No. 1s, 52 million singles sold, and billions streamed, Shelton’s no flash in the pan—he’s the enduring flame.

Fans are feral. Presales crashed servers within hours, with Austin’s stadium show 70% gone before breakfast. “Blake in Texas? It’s like Christmas and the Super Bowl smashed together,” gushed a Houston mom on TikTok, her video of custom tour tees going viral. Tailgate traditions bloom: Dallas devotees plan “Blake & Brisket” pre-parties, Austin hippies weave flower crowns with Stetsons.

For Shelton, it’s full circle. From that first gig at a Ada VFW hall to stadium sovereignty, “Country As It Gets” honors the kid who dreamed big. “These songs? They’re my scars, my smiles, my Saturday nights,” he reflects. As the tour poster—featuring Shelton silhouetted against a Longhorn sunset—circulates, one truth rings clear: In the Lone Star State, where the music runs as deep as the rivers, Blake Shelton’s about to remind us all what country soul sounds like. Saddle up, Texas—the show’s starting, and it’s as good as it gets.