The Shires’ Crissie Rhodes and Ben Earle are pressing pause on their musical duo and taking an indefinite hiatus after 13 years together.
“We have some news for you. We are going to be taking a break from The Shires,” Rhodes, 37, revealed via Instagram earlier this month, confirming that it was her choice to step away from the British country band for some time. “It’s a decision that I made. I didn’t make it very easily.”
Rhodes, who is the group’s lead singer, explained, “It was quite a hard decision to make, because, obviously, The Shires have been our life for 13 years. We recorded and released six albums. It’s literally been our every day for all those years.”
She noted, “It’s not been made lightly, but I want to take some time with my family and be at home for a little while.”
Earle, 39, said he completely had Rhodes’ back and “totally” gets her decision to step back from touring and focus on her role as a mom.
“I totally support it. Being on the road is so tough and making music and stuff,” he told fans, reassuring them that he’ll “still be making music. Doing radio as well.”
Earle, who sings harmony vocals and plays piano and guitar, added, “Who knows, one day we might come back and make some music together,” confirming that he and Rhodes “haven’t fallen out. We’re still friends. We’re still very good friends.”
The Shires’ hiatus, however, won’t happen overnight. In fact, the duo confirmed that they are still planning to perform at their Full Band Tour next month with shows throughout the U.K.
“This next tour will be our last one for the foreseeable future, for a very long time,” Earle said in the video.
Rhodes teased that the tour is something they are “very excited about” and will include “the whole band” with “glittery outfits.”
Although the tour is bittersweet, both Rhodes and Earle expressed joy and thanks to their fans after finding so much success over the past decade.
“Thank you so much for all the love over the years as well. It’s been incredible. We have the best fans. We feel so blessed,” Earle said.
Rhodes agreed, adding, “We couldn’t have done any of this without you guys. So thank you very much for all of your support. We love you.”
The Shires reiterated their reason for splitting up in the post’s caption, explaining, “With two young daughters at home, Crissie will be taking a well-deserved break to focus on family life and spend more time with her quickly-growing girls. It’s a bittersweet decision, one that Ben completely understands and supports as a parent himself.”
The musical duo insisted that they will “both be cheering each other on for whatever our next chapters hold and who knows, maybe one day we’ll be making music and touring again.”
Rhodes and Earle noted that for now they are excited to see fans on the road and “sing, dance and make some beautiful memories together on this tour, as we celebrate the amazing journey we’ve all been on together.”
They concluded, “Thank you for all the love you’ve given us, we’ll hold onto it forever.”
Rhodes and Earle formed The Shires in 2013, releasing their debut album Brave two years later. Their second album, My Universe, was the fastest-selling British country album in history when it was released in 2016.
The duo has since released four more albums, including 2026’s Bonfire. They also recorded one compilation album and one EP during their time together.
