Yee-haw! TIM HUGHES looks forward to the return of Britain’s biggest country band, The Shires – who are busy making waves on the other side of the pond

SHOPPERS making an early start on their Christmas shopping in London’s West End received a bit of a surprise when, among the red buses and black cabs they saw country music stars The Shires hitching a lift down Oxford Street on the back of a vintage 1957 Chevy pick-up truck.

Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes were celebrating the release of their new album by calling into HMV for a set.

My Universe, which charted at Number 3, broke records by becoming the biggest-selling UK country album in its first week. The duo already hold the record for the biggest-selling UK country album of all time, with their debut Brave – which has now gone gold.

“It’s a very exciting time for UK country music,” says Ben, who joins Chrissie on stage at the O2 Academy Oxford next Friday.

“We were thrilled to see such a fantastic reaction to the release of our second album.

“Thank you to all our fans for their support – we can’t wait to get back out on the road for our tour.”

The pair have had an extraordinary year, with triumphant performances everywhere from Glastonbury and the Isle Of Wight to London’s Hyde Park and the home of country, Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry – joining the ranks of rhinestone superstars Dolly Parton, Hank Williams and Garth Brooks. “Playing the Grand Ole Opry was another big milestone for us,” says Ben.

It’s certainly an achievement for a band who hail not from Tennessee or Texas, but from Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

Crissie agrees, adding: “It’s the home of country. The circle you stand in to sing is the circle that every legend of country music has been in.”

The pair met when Ben, a singer-songwriter looking for his break, put a message on Facebook, search for a vocalist.

“I’d been writing for nine, 10 years, with a bit of minor success,” he says.

“I’d reached the point where I was literally broke, and I put a thing on Facebook saying ‘There must be a country singer somewhere’.

“But then a friend of a friend mentioned Crissie. She came around the next day, we recorded some songs and it’s been so easy since then.”

Success has come thick and fast. They scooped a hat-trick of accolades at last year’s British Country Music Awards, claiming Entertainer of the Year, Best Album, and Best Male vocalist of the year, and they end 2016 with a ground-breaking record deal with Nashville-based Big Machine Label Group – part of the historic Dot Records imprint, and the home of Tim McGraw, Florida Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett – making them the group’s first British signing.

“We are absolutely thrilled,” says Ben. “The UK is our home and we are proud of our success so far, but it’s always been a massive goal to build our presence and make a name for ourselves in the USA.

“Scott [Borchetta, label boss], was one of the first people to approach us as a band, after hearing our original demos nearly three years ago.

“His advice back then was clear, to break the UK first and come to the US with a story. We took his advice and are extremely excited to be working with him and his team in the US. It is the home of country music and what better label could any act ever hope to sign with than Dot Records?

“They are incredible at what they do and have worked with some of the biggest names in country music history – we can’t wait to get started!”

My Universe was recorded in part at Soundstage Studios in Nashville and, like Brave, features an A-list of the Music City’s session players.

“I felt a lot more confident in the studio this time,” says Ben.

“The whole thing’s a big step up really, the sound of it is just a lot bigger.”

The Shires play the O2 Academy Oxford next Friday, November 18. Tickets from ticketweb.co.uk

The band’s latest album My Universe is out now