The Shires

The Shires are an English country duo composed of singer-songwriters Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes. The duo formed in 2013 and released their record-breaking debut album Brave in 2015, becoming the first UK country act to chart in the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart. They hail from the neighbouring counties of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, respectively. Earle sings vocals, plays piano and guitar and Rhodes shares lead vocals. The duo fittingly took the band name in order to maintain a British identity and take a small part of the England back to the United States. "Shire" is the original term for what is usually now known as an English county. After playing hardly half a dozen shows together, The Shires caught the attention of Decca Records, who signed them in the UK, and they secured a contract with American record label Universal Music Group Nashville, thus becoming the first ever English country act to be signed to a major Nashville label.

The Shires are an English country duo composed of singer-songwriters Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes. The duo formed in 2013 and released their record-breaking debut album Brave in 2015, becoming the first UK country act to chart in the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart. They hail from the neighbouring counties of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, respectively. Earle sings vocals, plays piano and guitar and Rhodes shares lead vocals. The duo fittingly took the band name in order to maintain a British identity and take a small part of the England back to the United States. "Shire" is the original term for what is usually now known as an English county. After playing hardly half a dozen shows together, The Shires caught the attention of Decca Records, who signed them in the UK, and they secured a contract with American record label Universal Music Group Nashville, thus becoming the first ever English country act to be signed to a major Nashville label.