Hear Blake Shelton’s Passionate Cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Forever Young’
Blake Shelton will soon be heard on movie screens across the country, performing a familiar song for the upcoming family adventure film, Max. The theme tune, “Forever Young” was penned by songwriting legend Bob Dylan and has, since its initial 1974 release, been recorded by dozens of artists. On Shelton’s heartfelt version, the country star’s frequent backup singer (and former Voice teammate), Gwen Sebastian is featured singing harmony vocals.
Max is the story of a troubled teen, played by actor Josh Wiggins, who finds comfort and friendship with the military dog of his older brother, a Marine killed while on duty in Afghanistan. The family adopts the dog, a Belgian Malinois (sometimes to referred to as a Belgian Shepherd), in an effort to help them deal with their grief. Belgian Malinois are frequently used to detect explosives and narcotics and also by the Secret Service to guard the White House grounds. In 2011, according to the New York Times, US Navy SEALS deployed a Belgian Malinois named Cairo in the operation that killed Osama bin Laden.
Max also stars Robbie Amell, from TV’s The Flash, Thomas Haden Church (Sideways), Jay Hernandez, who appeared on season two of Nashville, and Lauren Graham, who was last seen in the TV series Parenthood, which coincidentally featured Dylan’s original, faster version of the song (from his album, Planet Waves), as its opening theme. Others who have recorded “Forever Young” include Diana Ross, Peter, Paul and Mary, and Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, who sang the song over the closing credits of Free Willy 2 in 1995.
The director of Max, Boaz Yakin, was also behind the camera of the thrillers Now You See Me and Safe, and helmed the 2000 family film, Remember the Titans.
Blake Shelton will be on the road throughout the summer, including the Buckeye Country Superfest in Columbus, Ohio on June 20th, the Big Barrel Country Music Festival in Dover, Delaware on June 26th, and Kicker Country Stampede in Manhattan, Kansas, on June 27th. Shelton and his wife, Miranda Lambert, will headline the 2015 Greenbrier Classic concert series on July 3rd, coinciding with the sixth annual Greenbrier Classic golf tournament June 29th to July 5th in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
“Forever Young” is now available on iTunes. Max opens in theaters on June 26th.