Blake Shelton is one of the biggest stars in country music today. Since making his debut in 2001 with the massive hit single “Austin,” he has launched dozens of singles to the top of the country chart. Not content to be an A-list musician, Shelton has also spent more than a decade as a coach on The Voice and has several more film and TV roles under his belt. However, he hasn’t forgotten the songs that helped put him where he is today.

Recently, Shelton visited the American Songwriter studio. While there, he took some time to break out his guitar and perform an intimate acoustic version of one of his earliest hits, “The Baby.” Introducing the song, he said, “I had this song on my album, which was my second studio album called The Dreamer. I always thought this was a well-written song, and it was the first single off the album. Back then, this was a really big hit.”

Blake Shelton Stopped Playing “The Baby” for Years

“The Baby” was Blake Shelton’s second No. 1 single. It topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for three weeks and helped bolster the sales of his sophomore album. However, he removed the song from his setlist more than a decade ago. He only started playing it again during his Back to the Honky Tonk Tour last year.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever listened to or even sang a song that was more painful to get through than ‘The Baby.’ It’s so freaking honest–it’s unbelievable,” he told Genius. “It’s like a sore spot. This guy took his mother for granted. Maybe we’re all a little bit guilty of that. I was the baby of my family, and the only thing about this song I can’t relate to is that my mother is still alive, thank God,” he explained.

“I actually stopped performing it at my concerts because I’d get the crowd going and it’d be a party. Then, I’d sing this one and you’d see people bawling out in the audience,” he said. Shelton added that the song killed the mood of his shows. Recently, though, he had a change of heart.

During the opening night of his tour, Shelton told the crowd that he decided to add “The Baby” back to his setlist. “I realized that it was a mistake to stop doing it back in the day because that’s just the power of country music when a song connects with people.”

Blake Shelton Announces New Album ‘For Recreational Use Only’: Here’s When It Arrives

Blake Shelton is set to release his new album, For Recreational Use Only, on May 9. The project will mark Shelton’s first album under BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville.

The dozen-song album spotlights songs from several top-shelf country songwriters, including Sarah Buxton, Zach Crowell, Greylan James, Shane McAnally, Pat McLaughlin and Bobby Pinson. The project also features Shelton in collaboration with fellow artists including wife Gwen Stefani, John Anderson and Craig Morgan.

“It’s been a long time since we had a new album out, and I want to thank the songwriters and musicians who helped bring this record to life,” Shelton said in a statement. “[Producer] Scott [Hendricks] and I have been working on this music for years, and I’m beyond excited to finally share it with the fans.”

Gearing up for the album, Shelton follows his current Billboard Country Airplay top 15 hit “Texas” with the new song release, “Let Him In Anyway,” which offers the spiritual-minded tale of someone pleading for divine forgiveness for a friend who never fully went all-in on redemption.

“‘Let Him In Anyway’ is one of the most powerful songs I’ve ever had the chance to record,” Shelton said in a statement. “Hardy is a co-writer and a friend, and I’ve never heard a song like this before. When I first listened to it, I knew it was something special. It’s an honor to bring it to life, and I’m incredibly proud of the record we made.”

Shelton is currently leading his sold-out Friends & Heroes Tour, with the country star joined by artists including Morgan, Deana Carter, Trace Adkins and Emily Ann Roberts.

See the tracklist for For Recreational Use Only below: