Ben Earle, one half of country duo The Shires, has launched a new podcast called Country Roads in collaboration with Spiritland Creative.
The series explores the lives and careers of country music artists by looking at the places that have shaped their music and inspired their songwriting.
Through interviews with artists including Cam, Drake Milligan, Charles Kelley from Lady A, and Midland, Ben asks guests which locations have left the deepest impression on their creativity.
Country music has always been closely tied to the land from which it springs, and the podcast uses this as a central theme, showing how landscapes and life experiences influence the songs we love.
“Country Roads is about the places that have inspired songwriters,” Ben Earle said. “I hope through the podcast, fans will learn new things about their favourite artists and how some of their most-loved songs came into being.”
The podcast celebrates the strong sense of place in country music, from Dolly Parton’s Mountain Home in Tennessee to Tim McGraw’s Nashville and Lainey’s bar in Baton Rouge.
Each episode highlights the stories, encounters and journeys that have influenced these artists, offering an insight into their creative process and personal histories.
Joe Haddow, Head of Production at Spiritland Creative, added: “We’re proud to launch another Spiritland Original.
“The appetite for country music is growing, especially in the UK, and we hope this will find fans far and wide. With the Grand Ole Opry celebrating its 100th birthday, and the C2C line-up recently announced, it feels like the perfect time to launch this podcast.”
New episodes of Country Roads will be released every Thursday across all podcast platforms, with full-length video versions available on YouTube.
