Remembering Dick Shelton: Blake Shelton’s Father’s Legacy

Blake Shelton's father, Richard Shelton was an honorable father to Blake and helped shape his professional career and personal life. The father-son bond between the Sheltons was powerful, even after the death of Blake's older brother, Richie. Blake's mother, Dorothy, had Richie from a different father, but when Richie was only 1 year old, Dorothy married Dick Shelton, and he took Richie as his own, giving him his last name.

Blake saw the power of a loving family with a strong, caring, and sensitive father, a supportive mother, and siblings who adored each other. Through the trials and tribulations of growing up, losing Richie in a car accident when Blake was 14, and always having a supportive family, Blake instilled strong family values in his life.

Blake Shelton is a mega country music superstar with numerous country music awards, eight GRAMMY nominations, and dozens of No. 1 hit songs. Shelton was a judge and coach on the TV show The Voice, where he met his current wife, pop star Gwen Stefani. They married in 2015, and Blake became the stepfather to Stefani's three children.

The family lives on their ranch in Oklahoma. They are often seen together doing homey things and attending events, such as flying to California to help honor Blake when he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Gwen is very close to Blake's family and attends the holidays with his mother, Dorothy, and his sister, Endy, and her family. The Sheltons are an incredibly loving and supportive family.

Richard Shelton, known as Dick, was born on Sept. 7, 1940, in Lawton, Oklahoma. His parents, Blake's parental grandparents, were D.T. and Ruby Mead Shelton. Growing up, Dick went to school in Duncan and Lawton, Oklahoma, and in 1997, he married Terrie Ann Horton Delozier.

Dick was a car salesman working for Marion Fenton, Service Chevrolet, and Don Hayes Cadillac. He went on to own and operate J.R.'s Cars and was also a successful salesman for Chaprell Dodge and Kubota Tractors. Dick retired from being a car salesman in 2010.

Aside from his career and being a father, Dick was a military man. In the early 1950s, Dick served during the Korean War as a serviceman in the U.S. Army. He was also an Honor Guard member, representing the Army at ceremonial events.

After divorcing his first wife, Dick married Blake's mother, Dorothy, and had two children, Endy and Blake. Dorothy had a baby boy, Richie, from her previous marriage, and Dick took him and raised him as his son. In a 2024 interview with People magazine after receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Blake told the reporter, "My dad, when he married my mom — my mom had a baby, my brother, Richie," He went on to say, "And he took Richie on and raised him from the time he was 1 year old and my brother never thought of my dad as anything other than his dad." 

Later, after Dorothy and Dick divorced, Dick remarried a woman who had children, and he took on the role of a loving stepfather with his new family. Blake admired his dad's commitment to his nonbiological children, and he channeled those values into his relationship as a stepfather to Stefani's children.

Blake's family has always been supportive of his musical career. When Blake was a child, his mother entered him into several talent shows, where Blake would sing and perform. With the support of his mom and dad, Blake went on to pursue his successful musical career. It also gave him the confidence to be a judge and coach on The Voice from 2011 to 2023 — seasons.

When asked why he stepped down from being a coach on the show, Blake said he would rather focus his time and energy on helping raise his stepkids, being a responsible husband, and making new music. Stepping away from a lucrative career to take care of his family is a powerful testimonial to his father's values and Dick Shelton's influence on Blake's personal life.

Dick and Blake remained close during Blake's blooming career, marriage and divorce to Miranda Lambert, and his new career as a judge and coach on The Voice. However, in 2011, Dick Shelton's health began declining. He was diagnosed with pneumonia in early December 2011 and was admitted to St. Anthony Hospital in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

On Dec. 5, 2011, Blake accepted awards at the American Country Awards ceremony. In a 2012 interview with People magazine, Blake said during his acceptance speech, "I want to say hi to my dad back home … he's been having a pretty rough couple of weeks, and I know he's watching tonight." Shelton continued, "I love you, Dad, and I dedicate this to you, man. Thank you." 

After the ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada, Blake flew home to Oklahoma to be by his ailing father's side. Sadly, Dick did not recover from his illness, and he died on Jan. 18, 2012. Blake, his sister, and Dick's family were at the hospital saying goodbye when he died. His memorial service was held on Jan. 21, 2012, at Crosspointe Church in Ada, Oklahoma.

Blake wanted time to grieve for the loss of his father and rescheduled four tours: Rapid City, South Dakota; Bismarck, North Dakota; Billings, Montana; and Bozeman, Montana, to later dates in that year.

After Dick Shelton's death, St. Anthony Hospital, where Dick died, built a fountain in a new wing of the hospital and dedicated the fountain in Dick Shelton's memory. Blake praised the hospital for dedicating the fountain in his father's honor. While Dick Shelton is gone, Blake continues to live his life with many of the values Dick instilled in him. Blake and Gwen continue to raise the kids together, and Blake is a devoted stepfather.