The man who kept it country all the way

For people in rural Ireland and further afield, Big Tom McBride’s passing last week, aged 81, marks the end of a particular era: one that’s as much about symbolism as song; comfort and community as stardom.

Tom McBride made country music for country people – straight-ahead, sentimental and simple music – and that was one of the reasons why he was so loved. Big Tom and the Mainliners had nothing to do with ...