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

Blake Shelton’s ‘Friends and Heroes 2020’ tour features legendary and new country acts

With a lineup like this, Blake Shelton’s “Friends and Heroes 2020 Tour” is an early frontrunner for country music party of the year in Spokane. The country superstar and his friends and heroes – the Bellamy Brothers, John Anderson, Lauren Alaina and Trace Adkins – have reunited and are bringing the celebration to Spokane Arena on Saturday night.

Shelton champions his friends and heroes, from sharing singles to stages, and the 2020 tour should be no different. “The ‘Friends and Heroes Tour’ was so exciting and successful last year that I couldn’t imagine not trying something like that again,” Shelton said in a news release.

“Even though every night when the show wrapped, I would tell the audience that they might never see something like this again, with these legends, my plan all along was to at least try to make that happen.

“I didn’t know if I’d be able to get the same artists, but we were able to work it out where we have the Bellamy Brothers, John Anderson, Trace Adkins and Lauren Alaina all coming back to do the exact same tour.

“We were only able to do a handful of shows last year, so we’re going to take the tour to different areas so that fans will get a chance to see what we did. I feel like it was the best concert experience that I’ve ever been involved in, and I’m ready to get fired up again.”

Here is the posted schedule for Saturday night’s “Friends and Heroes 2020” stop at Spokane Arena, as well as fun facts. Be sure to check back over the weekend for a review of the concert and a photo gallery:

Lauren Alaina

Stage time: 7 p.m.

Why you know her: The Georgia singer-songwriter and actress, 25, was runner-up on Season 10 of “American Idol” and placed fourth with Gleb Savchenko on “Dancing With the Stars.” One of her biggest hits so far is the duet “What Ifs” with friend and former classmate Kane Brown.

Her hits: “What Ifs,” “Road Less Traveled,” “Doin’ Fine,” “Ladies in the ’90s” and “The Other Side”

Blake Shelton

Stage time: 8:15 p.m.

Why you know him: Shelton is People’s 2017 “Sexiest Man Alive” and a longtime – and the most successful – judge/mentor on “The Voice,” and he’s engaged to Gwen Stefani. Shelton, 43, also is a popular awards show host – and he occasionally sings, too!

His hits: “God’s Country,” “I Lived It,” “I’ll Name the Dogs,” “A Guy With a Girl,” “Came Here to Forget,” “Sangria” and “Honey Bee”

Shelton + the Bellamy Brothers

Stage time: 9:15 p.m.

Why you know them: The legendary Florida duo – brothers David Milton Bellamy, 69, and Homer Howard Bellamy, 74, – have been recording pop and country music since the 1970s. They were inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2018.

Their hits: “Let Your Love Flow,” “If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body, Would You Hold It Against Me,” “Sugar Daddy,” “For All the Wrong Reasons” and “Too Much Is Not Enough” with the Forester Sisters

Shelton + John Anderson

Stage time: 9:30 p.m.

Why you know him: Also from Florida, Anderson, 65, has been in the music business for more than four decades and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014.

His hits: “Wild and Blue,” “Swingin’, ” “Black Sheep,” “Straight Tequila Night” and “Money in the Bank.” Anderson and Shelton this week collaborated on “Tuesday I’ll Be Gone.”

Shelton + Trace Adkins

Stage time: 9:45 p.m.

Why you know him: Adkins, 58, alongside Shelton and Alaina, is the youngster in this “Friends and Heroes 2020” lineup, as his debut album, “Dreamin’ Out Loud,” was released in 1996. At 6 foot 6, Adkins, who also acts and is known for his distinctive bass-baritone singing voice, is 1 inch taller than Shelton.

His hits: “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing,” “Ladies Love Country Boys,” “You’re Gonna Miss This” and “Hillbilly Bone” with Shelton

Shelton is then solo again starting at 10 p.m. to wrap up the evening of country music at the Arena.