The same ole guy! While some may change when they strike up new relationships, Trace Adkins revealed that Blake Shelton has stayed true to himself amid his romance with girlfriend Gwen Stefani.
“He just really hasn’t changed, you know?” Adkins, 57, told Us Weekly and other reporters at the Los Angeles premiere for Bennett’s War on Tuesday, August 13. “Somebody asked me today, ‘Of all the country artists you know, which one do you think is really a country guy? The most authentic?’ And … you know, it’s Blake. He lives the life. He really does.”
Adkins, who is a longtime pal of Shelton’s, then noted that the fellow country crooner “does well and conducts himself well out here in civilization, but he’d rather be in Oklahoma … in the middle of the woods.”
Shelton, 43, and Stefani, 49, supported Adkins at the premiere of his upcoming film, Bennett’s War, and the pair held hands throughout their appearance. Speaking with Us and other outlets at the event, the “You’re Gonna Miss This” singer noted that he did “appreciate them coming out.”
“That’s what we do. We show up for each other and support each other in whatever we’re doing,” Adkins said of his friendship with Shelton. “We’ve toured together the last couple of years and we’re gonna do it again next year. So, it’s a real friendship. It’s not just something we put on for cameras.”
Shelton and Stefani called it quits with their respective spouses, Miranda Lambert and Gavin Rossdale, within two weeks of each other in the summer of 2015. In November of that year, Stefani’s rep confirmed exclusively to Us that the Voice coaches were “longtime friends who have very recently started dating.”
Since going public with their romance, the musical couple have been inseparable. In June, a source told Us that Shelton has become “extremely close” with Stefani’s three sons with Rossdale: Kingston, 13, Zuma, 10, and Apollo, 5.
The insider additionally noted the similarities that the No Doubt frontwoman shares with Shelton, adding: “Take away her celebrity status and she shares the same traditional Midwestern values as Blake.”
While the duo are ready to say “I do,” they’re putting their wedding plans on hold for the time being because the “Hollaback Girl” singer wants to ensure that their marriage is “recognized” by the Catholic church, a source revealed to Us in March.
Bennett’s War hits theaters on Friday, August 30.
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With reporting by Lindsay Hoffman
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