IT'S rare to find a singer who reveres his fans almost as much as they worship him. But then Daniel O'Donnell has never been one to take his enormous popularity for granted.

The clean-cut Irish star has become known for spending hours after each concert signing autographs and even used to set aside a special day of the year when his fans could come round to his Donegal home for tea -- a practice that's now had to stop because so many people wanted to stop by.

"It's definitely a two-way thing," said Daniel, 41, describing his relationship with his fans.

"I enjoy my career so much because of them. It's amazing how much travelling they do to come and see me."

Certainly his previous Blackburn gigs have seen King George's Hall fielding telephone inquiries about tickets from Australia, while on the pavement outside fans camped for days to ensure a seat.

"Blackburn is always a big show for us," said Daniel. "The last time I was there was three years ago, so it's nice to be back.

"One of the things I enjoy most is meeting the fans after the show."

Despite the adoration he attracts among his fans, Daniel's career has never prompted the same enthusiasm in the British press.

He said: "The media doesn't seem to reckon there's a market for my kind of music, yet I've been doing concerts since 1987, with a couple of tours a year -- that's a lot of shows.

"There seems to be a different attitude back in Ireland and also in the US to England. At home, country music is very popular and a lot of artists do very well. And in America country music is very accepted.

"My music is just beginning to take off in the States.

"In the past 18 months they've shown some of my concerts on TV and I've seen a great increase in the amount of interest. It's amazing what a bit of exposure does.

"I think if there were more TV shows over here that played that type of music, a lot of people would benefit from it. It would be grand if there was a show like that on television once a week.

"Years ago there were variety shows that catered for all areas of entertainment, but I think that type of music programme is something that's been missing for a while. I doubt it's going to change now, but I don't suppose it stops me from doing what I'm doing."

Nor did it stop Daniel from getting into country music in the first place.

"I always enjoyed it myself," he said, referring to his love of Irish music in his youth.

"I could have gone into pop music at that time, but I just enjoyed country music and easy listening, so that's what I decided to do. It was the right thing for me. You have to believe in what you do."

Daniel's self-belief was tested to the limits, however, in the teething stages of his career.

"Between 1983 and 1986," he explained, "my band wasn't doing so well. I seriously thought about emigrating to Canada. Then, I decided to give it one more go."

In his final shot at success, Daniel poured his savings into recording My Donegal Shore, which he released independently as a single. It turned out to be a surprise hit, and landed Daniel a long-wished for record deal.

"I'm very lucky," he said. "I love what I'm doing. I don't feel as if it's work at all."

Since then he has scored some 19 single and 17 album UK pop chart successes, but last year proved one of his most exciting so far, for as well as receiving an honorary MBE Daniel got married to Majella, a businesswoman.

Of the MBE he said: "It was amazing. I never thought I was in line for anything like that. I was just delighted and what made it even sweeter was it came about from some of my fans writing to the Queen about what my music meant to them.

"Because I'm not a British subject I received the MBE in Ireland from Prince Charles. It was a lovely occasion."

And married life also seems to be suiting Daniel, although he has no plans to start a family.

"We're both in our 40s, so it's a bit more difficult," he said. "But Majella has children, so in a way it's as if I have a family already."

Catch Daniel at King George's Hall, Blackburn, on November 30 and 31. Tickets are still available on (01254) 582582.