The Shires: How the country music duo achieved worldwide fame
They've added extra tour dates!
British country singer-songwriter duo Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes, better known as The Shires, have been making waves since they formed in 2013.
With five albums under their belt so far and a tour underway, we've decided to take a look at how the country music duo achieved worldwide fame. Here's everything you need to know about the UK's talented country music stars - The Shires!
Where are The Shires from?
The duo, composed of Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes, come from respective and neighbouring counties Hertfordshire, where Ben was based in St. Albans, and Bedfordshire, where Crissie grew up in Shefford. The Shires are proudly British and honour their roots in their name, 'shires', the traditional word for a county in the UK.
Are The Shires a couple?
No, despite many people thinking they are an item, Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes are not a couple. Ben has a longterm partner called Vicki, with whom he has three children. Crissie and her partner Ryan welcomed twin girls, Evelyn and Ada, in September 2022.
In an interview, Ben once described themselves as, "the Torvill and Dean of country."
How did The Shires become famous?
Both unsuccessful solo contestants on earlier seasons of The X Factor, The Shires miraculously met through social media with a shared love of country music. After Crissie Rhodes posted a message seeking another country singer to form a duo, Ben Earle responded and the rest is history.
The Shires weren't hit with a stroke of luck to get them where they are now, but instead have worked non-stop over the years, earning their place as the most successful UK country music act.
How many albums have The Shires released?
The Shires have dropped five albums to date, with debut 'Brave' released back in 2015. It peaked at Number 10 on the UK Albums Chart, making The Shires the first UK country act to have an album in the Top 10. But their success didn't stop there! Their following album 'My Universe' was released 30th September 2016, and it debuted even higher at Number 3 on the UK Albums Chart. It was also the fastest selling UK country album of all time, making The Shires the most successful UK country act ever.
Third album 'Accidentally On Purpose' dropped on 20th April 2018 and also peaked at Number 3, as the duo went from strength to strength. Their fourth album 'Good Years' was released in March 2020, and also hit the Number 1 spot on the UK Country chart.
The Shires' fifth album ’10 Year Plan’ was released in March 2022, topping the UK Country chart and reaching Number 5 on the UK Albums Chart.
What are The Shires' most popular songs?
The Shires have millions of online streams for their songs, with 'I Just Wanna Love You' from first album 'Brave' racking up over 10.5 million listens. 'Daddy's Little Girl' from second album 'My Universe' has also gained a lot of attention. It's an emotional track, written about Crissie's late father. There's also 'Guilty' from their release 'Accidentally On Purpose' that has gathered millions of listens, and rightly so. They're all brilliant country tunes!
The duo also featured on The Wolfe Brothers' 2023 single 'Livin' The Dream'.
Ben Earle on Absolute Radio Country
Ben has his very own show on Absolute Radio Country! You can tune in every Sunday from 9am until 12pm.
Are The Shires on tour?
Yes they are! The Shires having been taking their ‘Two Of Us’ acoustic tour across the country throughout 2024, performing at a variety of venues from April to October. Tickets for the shows are on sale now, with extra dates added after some dates sold out!
Ben Earle also hosted a Songwriters Round at the 2024 Highways Festival in May.
The Shires 'Two of Us' tour dates 2024
April
Frome, Cheese and Grain - Saturday 20th
Chelmsford, Chelmsford Theatre - Sunday 21st
Brighton, St George's Church - Saturday 27th
Hayes, Beck Theatre - Sunday 28th
May
Norwich, Nick Rayns LCR UEA - Saturday 4th
Southend, Palace Theatre - Sunday 5th
Manchester, RNCM Theatre - Saturday 11th
Stroud, Sub Rooms - Sunday 12th
Birmingham, Birmingham Town Hall - Thursday 16th
Warwick, Warwick Arts Centre Theatre - Friday 17th
Newark, Palace Newark - Sunday 19th
Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre - Saturday 25th
Milton Keynes, The Stables - Sunday 26th
London, Union Chapel - Friday 31st
June
London, Union Chapel - Saturday 1st
Bromley, Churchill Theatre - Monday 10th
Tunbridge Wells, Black Deer Festival - Friday 14th
Sunderland, The Fire Station - Sunday 16th
Edinburgh, Queens Hall Edinburgh - Saturday 22nd
Glasgow, Oran Mor - Sunday 23rd
Glasgow, Oran Mor - Monday 24th
July
Inverness, Belladrum Festival - Thursday 25th
August
Suffolk, Historic Lavenham Theatre - Saturday 17th
Cottingham, Cottingham Folk Festival - Saturday 24th
September
Newtown, The Hafren - Friday 6th
Swansea, Swansea Grand Theatre - Sunday 7th
Rhyl, Pavilion Theatre - Sunday 8th
Walsall Arena - Friday 27th
Milton Keynes, The Stables - Sunday 29th
October
Wirral, New Brighton Floral Pavilion - Saturday 5th
York, Grand Opera House - Sunday 6th
Aldershot, Princes Hall - Friday 11th
North Yorkshire, Scarborough Spa Theatre - Sunday 13th
Kingston, Rose Theatre - Saturday 26th
Are The Shires on social media?
Yes, The Shires are on all types of social media! You can follow them on X, Instagram, and Facebook to see all their latest news.
You can listen to The Shires and many other great country music acts on Absolute Radio Country.
Take a look at some of the country tours to look forward to:
Max Mcnown - December
24-year-old Max Mcnown has risen to fame in the last few years, following the release of his 2023 single 'A Lot More Free'. So much so, he's added additional dates to his December tour, due to unprecedented demand. Max is now set to perform on the 2nd, 3rd, 9th and 10th December, visiting Glasgow, Manchester and London.
Buy tickets here!
Drew Baldridge - December
Drew Baldridge will be going on tour in December, performing four gigs in the UK, in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and London, starting on Friday 5th December.
Drew's song 'She's Somebody's Daughter' helped him make history. This debut song became the first self-released debut song to reach Number 1 in the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart.
Here You Come Again (musical) - 2026
If you can't catch the iconic Dolly Parton live in person - then why not treat yourself to the next best thing? That's right, for the first time ever, all of the legendary country singer's biggest and best hits were experienced in the new 'rollicking and joyous' musical comedy Here You Come Again! After an incredible run in 2024 and 2025 - which saw the show feature hits such as 'Jolene' and 'Islands In The Stream' - the musical is continuing into 2026.
Buy tickets here!
Nashville in Concert - February 2026
The stars of Nashville will be returning to the UK for a 2026 tour - two years after they were last on tour! Starting in Newcastle on 6th February, and travelling through Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birmingham, London, Cardiff and finally Bournemouth on 15th. 'The Encore Tour' will see stars Clare Bowen, Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson and Sam Palladio, performing songs from the hit TV show, along with some of their own original material.
Buy tickets here
Tyler Childers - March 2026
Tyler Childers, the singer behind the new album 'Snipe Hunter', has announced that he will be coming to the UK, as part of his 'On the Road Tour'. The newly announced shows will bring the acclaimed singer-songwriter to some huge venues, including Glasgow's OVO Hydro and Manchester's AO Arena in March 2026.
Kezia Gill - February 2026
Kezia Gill is set to head on her 'All On Red Tour' in February 2026, kicking off in Leeds on Tuesday 17th. She'll be joined by special guest Alyssa Bonagura as she visits Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham, Manchester, Norwich, London, Exeter and Portsmouth. She'll then conclude the tour in Bristol on Sunday 1st March.
Buy tickets here!
Jordan Davis - February/March 2026
In August 2025, Jordan announced he would be coming to the UK as part of his 'Ain't Enough Road Tour'. He will be performing across Europe, including Manchester, London, Glasgow and Birmingham.
C2C Country To Country - March 2026
Following another hugely successful year in 2025, C2C Country To Country will return in 2026, over the weekend of 13th-15th March, with headliners Zach Top, Keith Urban and Brooks & Dunn. Also performing will be Scotty McCreery, Russell Dickerson, Drake Milligan and more.
C2C will take place at London The O2, Glasgow OVO Hydro and Belfast SSE Arena.
Buy tickets here!
Tucker Wetmore - April 2026
Tucker Wetmore will be gracing the UK with FOUR tour dates in April 2026, performing in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London. The singer, best known for 'Wine Into Whiskey', 'Wind Up Missin' You' and '3, 2, 1', released his debut album 'What Not To' in April 2025 - which peaked at Number 4 on the US Country charts. He also performed at the incredible Country 2 Country Festival in March 2025, sharing the bill with the likes of Lainey Wilson, Dierks Bentley and Cody Johnson.
Highways Festival - May 2026
Highways Festival will return to the Royal Albert Hall in May 2026, with a huge line-up on the bill. Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce and Emmylou Harris will headline, joined by Corey Kent, Kaitlin Butts and more from 15th-17th May.
Buy tickets here from 28th November
Garth Brooks 2026 - June 2026
Performing in the UK for the first time in three decades, country star Garth Brooks will headline BST Hyde Park in the summer. Known for putting on huge productions, Garth will take to the iconic stage on 27th June 2026, supported by soulful country singer Ashley McBryde and Zac Brown Band.
Buy tickets here!
Zach Bryan - June 2026
Zach Bryan will bring 'With Heaven On Tour' on to UK for four dates next summer. From Friday 12th June, he'll begin the UK leg in Liverpool, before heading through Edinburgh and London, concluding on Wednesday 17th June. He'll be supported by Dijon and Fey Fili.
Buy tickets here from 5th December
StateFayre - June 2026
A brand new festival celebrating Americana, rock and barbecue will come to Chelmsford in the summer. Headlined by Kings of Leon, Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts and The Lumineers, the festival will also feature Max McNown, The Black Crowes, Kingfishr, Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton, Counting Crows, Amble, Dylan Gossett, Sierra Ferrell and more.
Buy tickets here from 28th November
Luke Combs - July/August 2026
Luke Combs will bring his 'My Kinda Saturday Night Tour' to the UK in the summer of 2026, visiting London and Edinburgh for a total of five dates between 24th July and 2nd August. He'll be joined by special guests Thomas Rhett, Ty Myers and The Castellows in Wembley, and The Teskey Brothers, Ty Myers and The Castellows in Edinburgh.
The Long Road Festival 2026 - August
August Bank Holiday 2026 will see the return of the three-day The Long Road Festival - celebrating the music, lifestyle and influences of Country! From Friday 28th - Sunday 30th August 2026, the festival returns to Stanford Hall estate in Leicestershire with a range of incredible artists across the five stages. The first headliner has been announced as Bailey Zimmerman, who will be taking to the stage on the Saturday night.
Buy tickets here!
Brothers Osborne - December 2026
Brothers Osborne will support The Darkness on their December 2026 UK tour, visiting seven arenas. From Tuesday 8th, they'll head to Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Brighton and London, concluding on 16th.
Buy tickets here from 28th November
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