Dierks recently visited the AOL Sessions set to talk about the new album and even perform a few of the new songs."I am Nashville." That's Dierks Bentley's explanation for the secret of his success. And what a success story he's turned out to be.
The Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum selling country star is back with his fourth album, 'Feel That Fire,' a red-hot collection of songs that reflect Bentley's commitment to the traditional, fused with mindfulness of the mainstream -- a combination so prevalent in today's Nashville music scene.
AOL talked to Bentley about the new project, his "mind-blowing" new role and the old standards that make him a fan favorite.
AOL: What makes this album stand out from your first three?
Bentley: It's a hybrid of all the records I've made. The last record, 'Long Trip Alone,' is more serious. But this one combines that type of music with a lot more fun stuff. And I couldn't be more proud of it.
AOL: There's a line in your new song, 'Sideways': "Take that redneck stuff outside." What "redneck stuff" are you guilty of doing?
Bentley: [Laughs] I do it all! I'm the same guy that moved to Nashville when I was 19 years old. I still drive the same truck that has about 200,000 miles on it. And if you saw the inside of my truck, there'd be no question that I have a little bit of redneck in me. It's a disaster. It's got a door handle that requires no key to enter. So yeah, I'm guilty of doing all sorts of stupid things.
AOL: 'Beautiful World' is a more serious song with a heartfelt message. You performed it at the Nobel Peace Prize concert -- was that a coincidence or did you write the song for that event?
Bentley: 'Beautiful World' I wrote, oddly enough, with the same guy that I wrote 'Sideways' with. [Laughs] We write some diverse songs. It's definitely new ground for me. Usually I write songs about hanging out with my boys, having fun drinking beers and raising hell. But 'Beautiful World' is more of a topical song. What the world is, is however you perceive it to be. If you want it to be a beautiful place, you've got to think about it that way and then go out there and make it so. We wrote that song and just really knew it was special. We had Patty Griffin come in and sing on it. Then I got invited to play the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony concert, and it was a no-brainer to do that song because it's something that really brings people together.
AOL: You've included at least one bluegrass song on every album. Is that going to be a staple of every future album?
Bentley: I wouldn't have a career without bluegrass music. There's a bar in Nashville called the Station Inn -- that's where I got my start. So it really has a special place in my heart. This year, my friend Ronnie McCoury of the Del McCoury Band, wrote a song called 'Last Call for Alcohol.' I've been wanting to record it for years, and I finally got a chance to do it. Fans can always expect some bluegrass music on our records.
Read more of the interview and see all the performances HERE.
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