Spotlight: The Shires

Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes are The Shires and they are one of the fastest, and most exciting, rising acts on the ever growing UK country music scene.

After co-headlining an extensive UK tour with fellow British duo, Ward Thomas, last year and starting 2015 supporting Little Big Town on their UK dates, Ben and Crissie are hitting the road on a headline tour of their own in April.

The tour follows the release of their eagerly anticipated debut album, Brave. The album has been featured as BBC Radio 2's Album of the Week and features Nashville Grey Skies, Tonight and current single, Friday Night.

Catchy hooks and honest lyrics have earned the duo a loyal and ever expanding fan base. Brave is a must buy and their tour is not to be missed.

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Little Big Town @ O2 ABC

R-L, Jimi, Karen, Myself, Kimberly, Phillip 

Grammy Award winning Little Big Town embarked on their first UK tour a few weeks ago and I not only had the pleasure of catching them live but also had the honour of meeting the band who are a class act both on, and off, stage.

Karen taking the lead on Girl Crush

The country four piece - comprised of husband and wife, Jimi Westbrook and Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman and Phillip Sweet - opened their ninety minute set with the thumping Turn The Lights On, coming on stage to a rapturous reception - a reception that they seemed constantly taken aback by. From the opener to the encore, Boondocks, the audience knew every word, singing along with the quartet whose signature harmonies were tight and stunning in person.

The end to a great night.

The highlight of the night came when Jimi, Kimberly and Philip took a step back, allowing Karen to take the spotlight to take the lead with their latest single, Girl Crush. The trio's harmonies were subtle but understandably overshadowed by their bandmate's stunning vocals on a song that is deservedly climbing the country charts.

An incredible show by an incredible band. Their next visit cannot come soon enough.