Adele - Adele Inspired To Go Country By Bus Driver

The soul sensation spent time in the U.S. last year (10) on tour before recording the follow-up to hit debut album 19 with superproducer Rick Rubin in California.

Her latest record has its roots in country music and Adele reveals it was her driver and his pals who pushed her to listen to Nashville legends despite her initial doubts.

She tells Britain's The Sun, "I was a bit worried about going down the blues route. I only got exposed to blues and country when I was in America because of my bus driver. He used to radio to all the other bus drivers, 'Can you pick your favourite country and blues songs and send them to me?' I've got thousands and thousands of them. Then my tour manager started doing it as well.

"All sorts - Wanda Jackson, Garth Brooks, early Johnny Cash, early Dolly Parton, the Carter Family. They were all-round entertainers and fun, especially June Carter."