This Country Boy Was 14 When He Lost His Brother, Then Became a Singer Who Found Love on ‘The Voice’ after Divorce

• A 14-year-old country boy lost a sibling many years ago.
• He later lost a parent as an adult.
• The child grew up to be a country music superstar and has maintained a close relationship with his family. He married two famous women.

A teenager experienced a tragic loss as a child and later lost someone dear to him when he became older. He has since learned to grieve through music.

The young boy found fame as a country singer, and even after rising to superstardom, he has remained family-oriented and maintained a close-knit relationship with his loved ones.

He was born in June 1976 to parents Dorothy and Richard “Dick” and has two siblings, Richie and Endy. Sadly, the boy’s older brother, Richie, died in a car accident when he was only 14.

His father also passed away in January 2012 following a year of declining health. He paid tribute to him when he was still alive by dedicating his winnings at the American Country Awards in November 2011 to him.

“I love you, Dad, and I dedicate this to you, man. Thank you,” he said at the time, adding his parent had gone through a tough time amid that period. Heartbreakingly, the family patriarch died two months later after being hospitalized with pneumonia.

Since then, the music star rarely mentions his father’s death, but he once made a comment about him while referencing the song “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” saying it reminded him of his late dad. He added that he sometimes struggled to listen to it because it was a sad song.

Still, he continued to sing following Dick’s passing and even worked on his song with the help of his mother. She also penned a novel with the same name as the song, reflecting festive family memories and her son’s singing career. In recent years, Dorothy’s child worked with her by directing a Hallmark movie.

The young boy was Blake Shelton, who grew up to be a country music singer and a television personality. Through his fame, he married another country singer, Miranda Lambert, in May 2011.

After they walked down the aisle, the couple settled for a small-town life away from Hollywood. They lived in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, for much of their time together.

The showbiz stars led a simple life sharing a ranch, which was described as a “small prairie fiefdom.” Lambert commented on their home life in a 2014 interview:

“We live in the middle of nowhere and have a totally different life away from work. We do the things we sing about in our songs – we go four-wheeling, we back-road, we fish, we eat at my mother-in-law’s at least twice a week.”

Sadly, after four years of marriage and ten years together, she and Shelton announced they were parting ways in July 2015. The divorce news sent shockwaves amongst their fans as they released a joint statement stating:

“This is not the future we envisioned, and it is with heavy hearts that we move forward separately.”

Following the announcement, rumors were circulating about Shelton and Lambert’s split. There were allegations that they had both been unfaithful, but they dismissed the accusations. Meanwhile, one report suggested they broke up because they had different views on having kids.

Shelton divulged in a 2016 interview that he did not fully know why he and Lambert decided to divorce. He had previously said their long-distance romance was challenging, while Lambert said they were each pulled in different directions. The former couple had a messy divorce but have since moved on and remarried.

Lambert married police officer Brendan McLoughlin in January 2019, while her former spouse wed pop star Gwen Stefani in July 2021. Shelton and Stefani are considered an unlikely couple, yet their relationship has blossomed in recent years.

The couple met in 2014 when she joined “The Voice” as a judge alongside Shelton, an original member of the coaching panel at the time. However, they only developed a romantic relationship in late 2015, when he and Lambert divorced.

At the time, the former No Doubt vocalist also split from her husband of 13 years, Gavin Rossdale, with whom she shares three sons, Kingston, Zuma, and Apollo.

At first, Stefani and Shelton stirred up rumors that they were an item as they made public appearances together. They appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in September 2014 and faced off in a lip sync battle.

Fans could not help but notice their apparent chemistry during the show. But they were reportedly only friends and colleagues at the time. In October 2015, when the pair were newly single, they appeared on the show again and performed “Hotline Bling,” fans speculated that something was brewing between them.

It turns out they were right because a month later, in November, an insider revealed that the Hollywood stars were dating. Shelton’s reps later confirmed it. He and the fashion guru soon became music collaborators and lovers.

Shelton proposed to Stefani in October 2020 with the help of her kids, whom he reportedly asked for permission. The “Nobody But You” duo wed on their Oklahoma ranch property in a chapel the groom custom-built for the special occasion.

The lovebirds had their co-star Carson Daly, who hosts “The Voice,” officiate their nuptials. The multi-story property boasts 13,000 acres and features an all-white exterior with grand pillars on the porch and perfectly manicured gardens.

Shelton and Stefani marked their second wedding anniversary in July 2023. Apart from their countryside home, they also have a house in Los Angeles. Shelton has since retired from being a judge on “The Voice” after 12 years and 23 seasons on the show.

The “Austin” hitmaker announced in October 2022 that he wanted to exit the singing competition to devote much of his time to his new family, his wife, and stepsons.