“I remember one night, it was after an award show,” he recalled, “and Toby had been up for like four or five awards and, man, he didn’t win crap that night. I was talking to him after that and I had the nerve—I was so excited to be able to get under his skin—I said, ‘Man, Toby, if I ever make it big enough one day and I get nominated for some awards, I hope it’s against you.'”

But Toby had a different reason for saddling up with the young buck on tour.

“I swear, Toby looked at me and he said, ‘You know why I brought you out on tour with me?’ And I said, ‘No,'” Blake continued. “And he goes, ‘I wanted to prove to this industry that I don’t really need an opening act.'”

All jokes aside, the “God’s Country” artist also shared how his fellow Oklahoman shaped his time in music back in the day.

“Watching him, I felt the impact of Toby’s music from the anthems that spoke to the bigger things to the songs that are full of humor and energy and the soundtrack to good times,” Blake reflected. “Man I was out there with Toby for, it was a long time, like almost two years I think. I finally go the point where I was comfortable enough being around him.”

He added, “I love my Oklahoma brother, everybody.”

Meanwhile, Toby isn’t the only honoree of the night. Wynonna Judd is receiving the first Country Champion Award for her career in country music along with her advocacy throughout the years, including working closely with the Wounded Warrior Project and Habitat for Humanity. 

Jessie James Decker‘s kids are saddling up for a sibling.

The country singer, who is expecting her fourth baby with husband Eric Decker, shared how their three kids Vivianne, 9, Eric Jr., 7 and Forrest, 5, reacted to her pregnancy news during the People’s Choice Country Awards red carpet Sept. 28.

“They’re so excited. I mean, that’s all we talk about, to be honest,” Jessie exclusively told E! News. “We’re all just preparing for the baby’s arrival. They’re older now, so they understand what’s going on, so it’s cool.” (See every country star on the red carpet here.)

As for the 35-year-old herself? Although the baby wasn’t planned, the mom-to-be is over the moon at their latest addition.

“We’re excited,” she gushed. “We toyed with it and then we were like, ‘No we’re good with three.’ And then God made other plans and we’re all for it,” with Eric adding that being a family of six is a total touchdown in his book: “We were absolutely shocked at first but obviously it’s a blessing. Add another one to the family—let’s go!” 

Jason Tartick is sharing insight into his life without a final rose. 

While attending the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards on Sept. 28, the Bachelor Nation star opened up about how he’s been handling his heartbreak after he and Kaitlyn Bristowe decided to call off their engagement in August.

“I hope both Kaitlyn and I are fine,” Jason told E! News on the red carpet (watch more celebrity interviews from the awards show on E! News at 11 p.m.). “She’s an awesome person. I will always have a special place in my heart for her.”

And while Jason noted that breakups are never easy, he said it’s a lot harder to cope with when you’ve been with someone for quite some time.

“Closer to five years is a long time for anybody,” the 34-year-old added. “Both Kaitlyn and I, we’re working through it. Everything’s going alright, you know, day by day, there’s highs and lows. These situations are never easy.”