With their hearts in the Home Counties and their heads in Nashville, U.S.A., The Shires combine the best of both musical worlds on their eagerly anticipated debut album Brave. This combination has indeed struck a chord with the public, entering the charts at No. 10 on release, making The Shires the first British country band ever to hit the Top 10 of the Official U.K. Album Chart – a proud moment in music history. Now they have announced they are to tour this autumn, including a night at the O2 Academy in Liverpool on Monday 19th October.
Combining the classic pop-rock drive of Fleetwood Mac with the uplifting singalong anthems of The Lumineers, British duo Crissie Rhodes and Ben Earle were, early on, tipped for great things this year by industry insiders – as well as their growing legion of fans.
The Shires have also become the first U.K. signing to the revived Decca Nashville label. Originally launched 80 years ago, Decca Nashville became home to a host of country superstars including Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, who was then known as the “Decca Doll”. From the 1950s, Decca Nashville was one of the leading labels in America for country music, and remained so for a couple of decades. Decca was also the label for Country Queen Dolly Parton between 1997 and ‘98.
The duo formed after Ben (from Hertfordshire) appealed on Facebook for a female country singer to work with him. Crissie (from Bedfordshire), a friend of a friend, replied, came round the very next day and they discovered an instant chemistry.
“They may have been newcomers to each other – but not to music. Brave shows the evidence of Ben’s ten years paying his dues as a solo singer-songwriter and Crissie’s experience on the live circuit, together, their distinctive voices blend perfectly.
Both are inspired by the old-school workmanship of country music’s professional songwriters– people they would later work with on their first trip to Nashville last summer. Learning at first hand the storytelling style of classic country songs, and how to craft a catchy chorus, the duo then injected elements that could only have come from our side of the pond.
The Shires current tour the U.K. was preceded by standout performance at the Country To Country Festival at The O2 Arena and a supporting slot for American country stars Little Big Town including a show at London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire. The Shires will now headline the venue later this year which will conclude another series of major headline shows this October.
For a review of Brave go to http://www.liverpoolsoundandvision.co.uk/2015/03/03/the-shires.
Tickets for The Shires are priced at £13.50 and are available to purchase from the 02 Academy Box office on Hotham Street.