Blake Shelton Delivers Laughs With Funny Paul Overstreet Story During Surprise Hall of Fame Appearance
“I never dreamed that my Paul Overstreet song would be a song called ‘Some Beach!'”
Blake Shelton greets Paul Overstreet during the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Class of 2026 Medallion Ceremony at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on October 18, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee; Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Blake Shelton shared a funny full-circle moment while honoring Paul Overstreet during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion ceremony on Sunday evening (Oct. 18).
The country superstar was one of several surprise guests who appeared at the CMA Theater inside the Country Music Hall of Fame to honor this year’s inductees. Shelton paid tribute to the legendary songwriter, who was actually his favorite country artist long before he became a country star himself.
In a true Blake Shelton moment, the Oklahoma native recalled the night he had the opportunity to meet Overstreet as a fan while he was still in high school.
“I got chills right now, Paul. I really do. And I’ll tell you why. In 1993, my favorite country artist, not songwriter, my favorite country artist was Paul Overstreet. And I had two friends in high school that as a gift, a surprise to me, they bought me tickets to see Paul Overstreet play at the Oklahoma State Fair. And we drove up there and Riders in the Sky were opening for you that night. I still remember it,” he shared. “And watched a show and I stood around outside of your bus until finally you just gave up. I know what that’s like now. You see somebody out there and you’re like, still out there? All right, well let’s just go. So I was that kid that night and you came down and you said hi and you signed my autograph and took a picture.”
Shelton admitted that at the time, he “wanted to be Paul Overstreet.”
As he made his way to Nashville to chase his country music dreams, Shelton hoped to follow in Overstreet’s footsteps and eventually have the chance to record one of his songs.
“I finally decided the ultimate thing, if I could ever make it someday and get a record deal, make an album, I hope I could get a Paul Overstreet song. I really did. And I talked about it a lot because Bobby Braddock was producing my records early on and I was always looking for a Paul Overstreet song,” Shelton recalled.
“We got to get a Paul Overstreet song,” he remembered telling Braddock.
The then-rising star spent years wondering which Overstreet song he might eventually get to record.
“I wonder what it’ll be? What will it be like when I get my Paul Overstreet song? Because he writes these songs that are so lyrically just Grammy award-winning songs. I mean, ‘Forever and Ever, Amen,’ ‘Love Can Build A Bridge’…I never dreamed that my Paul Overstreet song would be a song called ‘Some Beach,’” he shared, sending the audience into laughter.
Shelton closed his tribute by expressing his love for Overstreet and sharing how much the honor meant to him.
“But damn it, I’m proud of it. I love you Paul Overstreet. You deserve this, man.”
In addition to “Some Beach,” Overstreet has penned some of country music’s most memorable hits, including Randy Travis’ “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “Deeper Than the Holler,” Keith Whitley’s “When You Say Nothing at All,” which was later recorded by Alison Krauss, The Judds’ “Love Can Build a Bridge,” and Kenny Chesney’s “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,” among many others.
Overstreet was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in the Songwriter category, joining Tim McGraw (Modern Era Artist Category) and The Stanley Brothers (Veterans Artist Category) as the newest inductees on Sunday evening.
He was also honored with performances from Dean Dillon, who performed “If I Could Bottle This Up,” and Jamey Johnson, who delivered a rendition of “Forever and Ever, Amen.”
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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