Blake Shelton Opens Ole Red Gatlinburg With Concert & $54,000 Donation to Local High School

Blake Shelton Opens Ole Red Gatlinburg With Concert & $54,000 Donation to Local High School

Blake Shelton’s Ole Red Gatlinburg is celebrating its week-long grand opening in Gatlinburg, Tenn., March 11–17.

(From left) 650 AM WSM’s Bill Cody, Gatlinburg-Pittman High School Assistant Principal AJ Bennett, Blake Shelton, Ryman Hospitality Properties CEO Colin Reed. Photo Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty Images

On March 13, Blake took part in the festivities by performing a private concert that raised $29,214 via tickets sales for Gatlinburg-Pittman High School’s music programs. Ryman Hospitality Properties donated an additional $25,000 to bring the total to $54,214.

“When I think of country music and where it started, I think of the mountains of East Tennessee,” Blake said. “I’m so proud to be here and I think this one may be my favorite location because the music is the focal point. The room is almost shaped like a speaker, I love it!”

March 14–17, Ole Red Gatlinburg will feature a Blake-approved lineup of free performances from former contestants on NBC’s The Voice.

  • March 14: Lauren Duski
  • March 15: Pryor Baird
  • March 16: Red Marlow
  • March 17: Emily Ann Roberts

Ole Red Gatlinburg is a multi-level, 13,500-square-foot entertainment venue with a two-story bar and restaurant, retail area, performance space, dance floor and exterior terrace. Gatlinburg is the third Ole Red location, following the first in Blake’s adopted Oklahoma hometown of Tishomingo (September 2017) and a second in Nashville (May 2018). Blake recently announced plans for a fourth location coming to Orlando, Fla., in 2020.

main photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com