Blake Shelton is hosting his first Christmas special, Blake Shelton's Not-So-Family Christmas, Monday night on NBC--and it promises to be an Oklahoma-sized program full of off-color jokes, rollicking music, and super-cool special guests including wife Miranda Lambert and buddies Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire.
However, when asked to choose his favorite thing about the show, Shelton had a non-smart-aleck answer: His mom, Dorothy Shackleford, who also joined the cast and even sings a number live with her son.
"I have to say the biggest moment was having Mom come out there and sing with me," Shelton smiled backstage after the show's taping. "She's not a singer--I mean, she can sing, but she's not a singer. And then to bring her out here on national television and have her sing with me...and she did it like a pro, like she does it every night," he enthused.
"I wish some shows I see on TV, people sing as good as my mom," the famous coach from The Voice added. "I thought she nailed it."
Shackleford--who made her very first stage debut at the show's taping--actually wrote and recorded the song, "Time for Me to Come Home," with Shelton for his Cheers, It's Christmas album, which was released in early October. She noted after the show that her performance felt "nerve-wracking," but that she's actually been a prolific songwriter over the years: "I've wrote tons of songs, I just haven't had any recorded."
So Shelton gets his musical talent from his mama, then? "Yeah, he didn't get it from his dad," Shackleford admitted. "His dad [couldn't] sing a lick."
Shackleford says that although Shelton's show is "not-so-family," their real Christmas will be definitely on the traditional side. "We will have a big Christmas as always with turkey and dressing and all the works," she explained, adding that she doesn't have any special presents on her list this year. "I have everything I want. As long as he's there."
Shelton gave his mom a huge present last month, when he won the prestigious Entertainer of the Year title at the 2012 Country Music Association Awards. Upon hearing his name being called, Shackleford admits with a laugh that she hollered "Holy Jesus, praise the Lord!" repeatedly.
Blake Shelton's Not-So-Family Christmas airs December 3 on NBC at 10 p.m. ET.
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