COUNTRY music duo The Shires are making their third appearance at Pocklington Arts Centre to promote their debut album, Brave.

The groundswell of interest in country music in the UK is unstoppable. But one of the acts helping to make country cooler than ever on this side of the Atlantic are not from Tennessee or Texas, they are from Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

Step forward, The Shires. The duo of Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes have swiftly become one of the real buzz bands of 2015.

Decca won the contest for their signatures just before they made their official live London debut at the event that confirmed the wave of interest in the country genre, the second annual Country 2 Country Festival at London’s 02 Arena.

In addition, they secured a contract with American-based record label Universal Music Group Nashville becoming the first-ever UK country act to be signed to a major Nashville label.

The thoroughly refreshing debut single Nashville Grey Skies is just the first taster of the album Brave, which will be released on February 23.

On the surface The Shires have raced from 0mph to 100mph, but behind that first impression lies the story of two musicians who have been working towards this moment for a long time.

“We don’t want to be known as just springing out of nowhere, because behind the scenes, we’d worked really hard,” said Crissie.

“We’ve done our legwork, and the two of us finding each other has just worked.”

Both are inspired by the old-school workmanship of the best modern country songwriters.

“When I was growing up, I loved big songs,” said Ben. “Generally ballads, but quite structured, really well-written songs with that big pay-off line at the end of the chorus. I never really realised that was country.”

Now The Shires are ready to gig, and to bring the album home from Nashville.

“At the end of the day, all we want to do is write songs and sing them,” said Ben.

The Shires are at Pocklington Arts Centre on Wednesday, April 22 at 8pm. Tickets are £14 and available from the box office on 01759 301547 or visit pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk