Martina McBride to Tour UK and Ireland
My husband and 12-year-old son are in Italy right now. And with the vast time change, it's hard to actually have a phone conversation. But I've received a few cryptic texts, and a couple were about how much the Italians love country music. (A love complete with fringed western wear and cowboy hats, they tell me.)
It shouldn't be that hard to believe that Europeans dig country. Martina McBride just announced she's going to tour across the pond, with stops in London on July 31, then six shows in Ireland right after that. "It's been a long time since I've been over there," she told Billboard. "Probably '94 was the last time. I'm looking forward to it. We made so many great memories last time I was there."
Plus I know Alan Jackson is planning a little stretch of shows in Denmark, Sweden and Norway in August. Toby Keith is headed over there, too, starting his tour in Scotland in November. And Dierks Bentley, Taylor Swift and Sugarland have all played a few European dates recently.
But as I sit here with almost 1,000 songs in my iTunes library, and not a single one is from outside the American border, I have to wonder why Europeans have embraced our mainstream country music so passionately and we've not returned the favor? Do they have their own brand of country music that just might become some of my all-time favorites?
In my attempt to be more open minded about it, I trolled around some of the Web sites devoted to country music in other parts of the world. And as much as I tried, I just couldn't quite get through this heavily-accented take on Tim McGraw's "How Bad Do You Want It." Audio of the song plays in the background when you reach the page. See what you think.
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Tim says:
let us firm up the 100 m$ deal or let us hook up for life
Cathy says:
I knew that some American rock stars are huge in Europe. I think Bruce Springsteen is touring there right now and is filling up stadiums. But are any American mainstream country acts filling up major sports arenas or stadiums over there? Which country stars have recent albums that have gone platinum in Europe? You’ve piqued my interest. Are there any country artists listed on the Billboard Euro Album Chart right now?
Abby says:
It really sucks that country stars come over to the UK so rarely :( I live my love of country music through the internet and imported CD’s! It seems they have all decided to come over at once! In the past few months I have seen Sugarland and Taylor Swift and i have tickets for Martina on 31st July and also Taylor Swift again on Nov 23rd! its a real shame to love a genre of music so much and not be able to enjoy all the live shows that fans in the US do :( makes me sad!
David Nisbet, Scotland says:
Doing one night in London does NOT constitute a “UK Tour”. It’s so annoying that so many artists come all the way over here and then still expect people to travel hundreds of miles to see them.
David Nisbet, Scotland says:
BTW Alison, we aren’t all part of the “cowboy & indians brigade”, some of us are just normal folks who like Country. I for one don’t see the appeal of dressing up like one or the other, having a shootout and doing the “folding the flag” thing, or even what that has to do with the music.
Florent Dufour says:
be sure that people in europe like country music. Unfortunally not in France qhere people just like line dancing. That’s why all european tour don’t come in france. Alan JAckson, Alison Krauss, Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Martina McBride, Randy Travis, …they all came or will come in europe but not in france. You’re really lucky in irland and england to have all thoses shows. I hope many artists will continue to come in europe and i’m working on having some in france via directartistsagency.com
thanks to come ! Europe welcomes you
David Nisbet, Scotland says:
Randy Travis was in Europe? When?