Country singer Blake Shelton is the latest start to receive the Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) Artist Humanitarian Award.
Shelton made an appearance at the Warner Music Nashville luncheon on the 13th of February. It was Day 1 of the 2019 Country Radio Seminar.
The luncheon was jam-packed with performances from Morgan Evans, Chris Janson, Ashley McBryde, Cole Swindell, Davin Dawson, and Cody Johnson. And, it was there where last year’s recipient of the Artist Humanitarian Award, Dierks Bentley, presented the award to him. Shelton was honored for his numerous charitable efforts.
Receiving the Artist Humanitarian Award
His charitable acts include a large donation to the Jimmy Everest center in Oklahoma for children with cancer in 2016. And he also helped organize and host the Healing in the Heartland benefit, following Oklahoma’s destructive tornado. And in 2018, he established a pediatric cancer research program in Oklahoma in honor of his cousin, Aspen Van Horn. He was diagnosed with cancer at only five months old.
Shelton reflected on his win with a speech that he gave upon receiving the Artist Humanitarian Award.
“I think the cool thing about country artists is, I feel like we all step up, any time we get a chance. We have the easy part: We get to make music, and somehow, that helps to generate awareness for certain things. It generates money for certain things. And I don’t think any of us don’t step up anytime we get a chance.”
It didn’t take much to see his usual brand of humor, as he couldn’t stay somber for too long and opted to keep the moment light by making some light-hearted jokes at his career.
“I think at the end of the day, y’all were just trying to think of something to give me. ‘Cause I don’t win anything anymore, so it’s like, ‘Give him the Humanitarian Award! It doesn’t mean that I don’t very much appreciate it. I’m so happy. I couldn’t be more honored.”