When Mike Ward's deep-toned, country-influenced vocals were first heard by the judges of The Voice UK in 2013, many were surprised to learn that he was born a relative stone's throw away from the BBC's studios in Salford, Greater Manchester. While the American slant to his vocal delivery suggested he originated from the opposite side of the Atlantic, his performances of material such as Keith Whitley's "Don't Close Your Eyes" and Tim McGraw's "Just to See You Smile" promoted mainstream country music to millions of prime-time U.K. TV viewers. The former joiner and cousin of 200...