I'll never forget watching TOTP2 (an archive version of Top of the Pops over here in UK, which would usually end with a slightly obscure new release) and the caption on 'Forever Love' (new release for that week) coming up saying that Reba was, at the time, the biggest selling female singer on the planet, across all genres (higher than Celine Dion/Whitney/Mariah/Kylie/Madonna etc) - given that I'd never heard of her until this broadcast, this was something of a surprise and I still wonder if I misheard or if it was a mistake, but it gladly opened by eyes to country music old and new.
TOTP2 always championed country music - Shania Twain, Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Lee Ann Rimes, Dixies Chicks etc
None of this has anything whatsoever to do with tickling, sorry!
TTG