Tuesday, August 31, 2010

"Draw me a Map" Sees Healthy Chart Jump


In its second week on the chart, Dierks Bentley's "Draw me a Map" jumped a healthy 16 spots on the Billboard chart to come in at #44 this week, with an audience gain of just under 700,000. On Mediabase, it made its official debut at #48 (up from #66 last week). The smaller-market charts continue to outpace their "big brothers," though: on Billboard's Indicator chart it moved 3 spots to #34, and on Mediabase's Activator chart it's up to #35 from #46 last week.

7 new Mediabase-panel stations added "Draw me a Map" this week, and 15 Billboard Indicator stations added it as well. It looks like adds will continue to be fairly modest, but if it sees audience growth similar to this past week, it's quite possible our Prez will have a Top 40 song on his hands, which should get it some more adds and growth, and more Congress members should be able to hear it and thank their local stations!

Keep up the great work, Congress! I know you're creating that demand and asking for the song. Hopefully some CMA nominations tomorrow will help prompt some unexpected adds and plays this week!

~ Carrie S. (DBC Rep/Chart Reporter ~ NC)

Saturday, August 28, 2010

New Contest! Win A Dierks T-Shirt!

Wanna win a Dierks Bentley T-Shirt? Just enter a comment on EACH of these 3 blogs (links below) and your name will be entered in the drawing! We will draw a winner Saturday, September 4!

Steve Misamore

Brian Layson

Cassady Feasby



Good Luck!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Bentley's "Old Goldie" Shines in the California Sun

Dierks Bentley affectionately refers to his tour bus as "Old Goldie." Why? If I had to guess it's because it's really old (he likes old things) and it's gold!

Brittany, DB's tour assistant, has captured yet another masterpiece in photography! I would vote for it for "photo of the month!" Earlier this month she captured the "guitar pics in the air" toss pic. You Rock Brit!

Dierks loved it so much he posted it on his Facebook and Twitter page with this caption:

california sunset looks good on Old Goldie.... killer shot by brit.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Country Comes Home To The Grand Ole Opry House!

The Grand Ole Opry House announces it's grand re-opening September 28, 2010 after the devasting flood waters in May forced it to close. But The Opry kept on playing at various venues around the city of Nashville. The first show in the GOO House will be a Tuesday night, and boasts an all-star performance cast, including Dierks Bentley, Trace Adkins, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley and more!

Can't be there in person? Listen online at wsmonline.com.

"Draw me a Map" Makes its Debut


“The wistful ‘Draw Me A Map’ ranks
among Bentley’s most poignant ballads,
with its aching lead vocal performance.”
- Paste

"’Draw Me a Map’ finds Bentley softly pining for a route
back to his lost lover's doorstep, those clarion pipes
sounding more genuine than ever.”
- Washington Post

"All in all, it’s one of the most earnest and tuneful “I’m sorry’s” you’ve ever heard. “Help me find the road you’re on,” he sings, “I just need directions home.” If this clueless cad has a chance at patching up his woman’s heart, a gently-rolling melody and a gentleman’s apology is a fine place to start."
- The 9513 (Thumbs Up Review!)

With two weeks of early radio adds under its belt, Dierks Bentley's newest single "Draw me a Map" makes its debut on the Billboard Chart, coming in at #60. It's just on the outside of debuting on the published Mediabase Chart (at #66 this week), and should make its debut there next week. As with "Up on the Ridge," though, "Map" is getting quite a bit of its early help from the two smaller-market charts: On Billboard's Indicator chart, it actually debuted last week at #57 -- and this week it jumped TWENTY spots to #37! And on Mediabase's Activator chart, it debuted this week at #46.

Although it officially went for adds on Monday, it was the 5th most-added song on Mediabase's panel (15 adds), 6th-most added on Billboard's panel (10), and it was the 3rd most-added on Billboard's Indicator panel (which now includes satellite radio) with 18 new adds! Make sure you're calling your radio stations to ask for this great, critically-acclaimed song! Vote for it on your local countdowns! Get on Yes.com! Creat demand! And if your station is one of the ones that's already picked it up, make sure you're saying thank you, too.

Let's draw our Prez a map ... straight to #1!

~ Carrie S. (DBC Rep/Chart Reporter ~ NC)

I Want To Bang On The Drum All...Night!

Steve Misamore is the most senior member of Dierks Bentley's band these days. So when Ludwig Drums contacted him about writing an article on what it's like to perform on late night television, Steve had more than enough experience to detail what goes on the day of taping.



Click HERE to read what Steve had to say and relive some old late night performances from Dierks & the boys!

-Stephanie, DBC Historian

A Day in the Life of Dierks Bentley, by theboot.com

Lucky Lorie Hollabaugh of theboot.com had the great fortune to follow Dierks Bentley around for an entire day on July 20, 2010! Read her article, "Dierks Bentley--A Day in the Life" and see fabulous photos and a well-done video capturing all the moments of the day from his time in the GAC Studio as he recorded his WSM radio show, The Thread, to an interview on the GAC Top 20 video show to an historic night at The Ryman...all with his dogs George and Jake in tow.

This story is one of the best written and most interesting this year! I have always wanted to spend a day with Dierks and write about all the backstage preparation that goes into everything he does on stage. This is possibly the closest I'll ever get to that dream!

I still say "a day in the life" would make a killer contest for DB Congress reps! What do you say, Mr. president?

Watch more AOL Music videos on AOL Video




~Ronna
DB Congress Chair

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

KNCI Radio Chats With Dierks

Dierks is the headliner at this year’s Country in the Park in Sacramento on August 29! Listen in as he talks about playing music and hockey in this interview from KNCI's Pat and Tom in the morning!

Greetings From Dierks Fan In Switzerland

Andrea Bissegger traveled all the way from Switzerland to experience the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee in June 2010. She was hoping Dierks Bentley would have a fan club party.

"I was lucky and very happy he gave one (Last Call Ball 6 Concert at the Limelight)! It was awesome. It was my first time meeting Dierks and hopefully more meet and greets will follow. My Mum discovered Dierks first, when I heard songs from him, I liked them right away. He is my favorite artist and I joined his Fan Club to be up to date for any concerts which I might attend. Dierks mentioned at the Limelight [Meet and Greet] when he heard that I'm from Switzerland, that he would come to Switzerland to have a concert soon. I really hope he will!"

When asked how she promotes Dierks in Switzerland, she replied, "In times of Facebook, this is for sure one of the best and fastest ways to promote him."

Her favorite songs are "Free And Easy Down The Road I Go" and "Trying To Stop Your Leaving."

Welcome to the DB Congress family, Andrea!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Country Weekly Includes Dierks Bentley In Every August Issue

Country Weekly magazine featured Dierks Bentley on their June 21, 2010 cover. Recently, CW found a way to weave a little Dierks Bentley into every August 2010 issue! It's true! Check it out! Just another reason to subscribe so you don't miss one iota of DB!

August 2
Page 6 - Letters. More Dierks! Letter from DBC rep, Molly Vasey, NY
Page 23 - Dierks is mentioned in the guest list of Miranda and Blake's engagement party.
Page 57 - Dierks is picturd in the CW full page ad
Page 60 - Charts. UOTR is #6 on the Album and #22 on the Singles chart

August 9
Page 7 - Dierks' House of Bluegrass - pictured with Jason Sturgeon
Page 11 - Dierks's Boots - "I like old things."
Page 54 - VP/GM of the Opry, Pete Fisher mentions Dierks "...The Opry has inducted new members and woven itself into the fabric of younger artists' careers..."
Page 60 - Charts. UOTR is #6 on the Album and #21 on the Singles chart

August 16
Page 60 - Charts. UOTR is #7 on the Album and #23 on the Singles chart

August 23
Page 9 - Dierks Listened to Mom - "Follow Your Bliss."
Page 26 - Guilty Pleasures. "I'm not really big on chocolate...the guys and I play video games."
Page 56 - Stars Up Close. Carmon Sololowski, Michigan DBC rep pictured w/Dierks.
Page 60 - Charts. UOTR is the #7 Album, the #23 Single & #7/photo on CMT Videos chart

August 30
Page 9 - Dierks Gets An 80s Fix w/Bon Jovi; Twitter Talk: "letterman done...I can check that one off my mom's "list" for me..."
Page 10 - Babies On Board. Dierks and wife expecting baby #2
Page 21 - Mary Stuart article; "The Marty Stuart Show, which airs on RFD-TV, provides an outlet for a diverse lineup of artists including John Anderson, Ricky Scaggs, Ronnie Milsap and Dierks Bentley."
Page 46 - The Musician's Musician-Del McCoury story; Dierks, Up On The Ridge, Pride (In The Name of Love) is mentioned throughout the article and Dierks and Del's photo spreads 2-pages.
Page 60 - Charts. UOTR is #7 on the Album & #9 on CMT Videos chart.

Dierks Can't Tell The Truth on 'The Thread'


Dierks Bentley's focus this week is highlighting the lying songs of country music. His weekly radio show, The Thread on The Legend, 650 AM WSM, originally aired on Monday, August 16, 2010 titled, "Can't Tell The Truth." Listen here.

Partial Play List:

~Blame It On Your Heart - Patty Loveless



~Your Lyin' Eyes - The Eagles
~I'd Lie To You For Your Love - The Bellamy Brothers
~I Lied - Trisha Yearwood
~A Tender Lie - Restless Heart

"Doesn't matter what age you are, or what generation you're from or what kind of country music you sing, everyone's got a song about not being able to tell the truth," Dierks tells his listeners.

~Beautiful Lie - Jean Shepard (The song is from 1955, the same year Jean was inducted into The Grand Ole Opry--50 years before Bentley would become a Member, October 1, 2005. If that's not a 'thread' connecting past to present, how about the fact that Jean's birthday--November 21 is one day after Dierks', November 20.

~White Liar - Miranda Lambert
~It's Lying Time Again - Mel Tillis

"What a great stretch of songs...Jean Shepard, Miranda Lambert, Mel Tillis...really running the guantlet of country music stars and history. Mel's a funny guy...his true stories are funnier than any joke he could make up to stretch or lie about...his life in general the stories he's made just being out there on the road make for some of the funniest stories I've ever heard."

~Lying In Love With You - Jim Ed Brown
~Baby I Lied - Deborah Allen
~You Lied - Reba McIntire

"Doesn't it seem like in country music somebody's always lying?" asked Dierks.

"There's been some great songwriters in country music, but Bill Anderson is one of the greatest, has had hits in so many different decades now...and continues to be such a powerful force...and the reason for that is he knows what country music is all about, he just records the truth and writes a simple lyric that says so much. I think he does that in this song":

~The Truth Is, I Lied - Bill Anderson

Listen to Dierks every Monday at 2 pm central on WSM 650 AM or online at wsmonline.com.

Anyone Need A Dierks Bentley Guitar Pic?

Dierks Bentley's tour assistant, Brittany, finally got the "guitar pic toss" photo she's been trying for at last night's show in Austin, Texas - Nutty Brown Cafe, and posted on DB's FaceBook and Twitter pages.

Who has caught a DB pic before? What did you do with your pic? Framed? Scrap book? Necklace? DB Congress wants to know! Leave a comment now!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Dierks Thanks CMT.com "Posted" Fans

As you may recall, Dierks Bentley is CMT.com's "Posted" Artist of the Month! Check back daily for new DB photos, music, interviews, news, videos, and tweets through the end of August.


Bentley Says "Fans...Know Who I Am"


Dierks Bentley Cultivates the Common Ground of Country and Bluegrass with ‘Up on the Ridge’

By Lorie Hollabaugh

© 2010 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.

On hearing the very first notes of the swampy riff that would become the title track of his new album, Up on the Ridge, Dierks Bentley knew that he and co-writer Angelo (Petraglia) were onto something that wouldn’t be encumbered by genre titles. And so the original plan of writing for two separate projects, one Country and one bluegrass, was shelved; instead of trying to serve two masters, they decided to just let the music come.

“When Angelo played me that riff, that was the turning point,” Bentley recalled. “I remember hearing that, going, ‘Well, that’s a Country thing. It’s definitely a bluegrassy vibe. I don’t know what this is exactly, but it has to be on the record I’m making.’”

Inspired to put together an album that reflects his love for bluegrass and acoustic music, Bentley approached his longtime friend Jon Randall Stewart to produce. “I kept thinking about who I would get to work on this,” Bentley said. “I know Tim O’Brien. I know Alison (Krauss). I know Sam Bush. They’re all friends. But I kept thinking about Jon Randall and how far back he goes. He’s like the Kevin Bacon of Nashville: He knows everybody, he’s played with everybody, he’s one of the most talented overall musicians in Nashville — he’s unbelievable!”

“We were sitting, having some whiskey, and he said he was thinking about making this record and would I help,” said Stewart. “I said, ‘Have you lost your mind? You’re on your seventh No. 1 and you want to make a bluegrass record with your buddy?’ But as we sat there talking, we realized bluegrass is like every other genre: The boundaries have stretched. Dierks and I grew up listening to New Grass Revival, The Seldom Scene, Alison Krauss and all those people, so for us it was, ‘Let’s use that as our template. Let’s incorporate it.’ And the very first thing we thought of, which should tell you how crazy all this is, was the idea of doing a U2 song (‘Pride (In the Name of Love)’) with Del McCoury.”

As they began recruiting a cast of bluegrass heavyweights and guests, it became clear to Stewart that the toughest part of the process involved coordinating schedules for Bentley, engineer Gary Paczosa, and Sam Bush, Vince Gill, Jamey Johnson, Alison Krauss, Kris Kristofferson, Miranda Lambert, Punch Brothers and Chris Thile, among other invited artists.

“The toughest thing about this record, when you have special guests and a smaller budget, is trying to get people in on the same day,” Stewart said. “It’s ridiculous! Scheduling was a nightmare because you’ve only got so many musicians that know how to play this kind of music. Then there are only so many guys if you step out of Flatt-and-Scruggs bluegrass. These aren’t your normal A-team, Country session guys, because it’s a whole other kind of music.”

From hatching the idea to laying tracks in the studio, Up on the Ridge took shape in ways that have little to do with business as usual along Music Row. Though radio and critics would eventually validate the album as the right project at the right time in Bentley’s career, Bentley did have a few initial concerns about changing things up and going acoustic at the top of his game. But he’s never been one to make his music according to trends or popular opinion — a characteristic that’s affirmed throughout this successful experiment of an album.

“I think the first thing I asked myself was, ‘Do you want to call this a side project and kind of have an out? Or do you believe in what you’re doing and want to stand up for it and act on faith and put your money where your mouth is when it comes to why you go into doing this?’” said Bentley, who co-wrote five tracks on the album. “You get known for a certain sound you’ve established — or you get known for having curly hair and you cut it off. People like to think of you as one thing, and Country is all about having a brand. But as a songwriter, it’s not just about winning the game all the time. It’s about trying to make great music that you will be excited about and taking a chance to veer left or right a little bit. I love playing for large audiences. I love what we’ve built. I don’t want to do anything to take away from that, and I don’t think I am. I think I’m just adding to it.


Hopefully my fans that have been asking for me to do this for a long time, they know who I am. My records have always had a bluegrass song on there. This is just me reclaiming part of what makes me who I am.”

Bentley’s record label knows better than anyone what this artist is about, which is why they’ve treated Up on the Ridge exactly as they’ve treated each of his other four studio albums — except, perhaps, with even greater anticipation and excitement. “They totally have been behind it. I know how lucky I am to have (Mike) Dungan and the whole Capitol team. He’s kind of like the Herb Kelleher of Country Music,” Bentley said, referring to the Co-Founder and former Executive Chairman, President and CEO of Southwest Airlines. “He makes a team environment and gets excited and passionate about stuff, and he hires good people.”

As President and CEO of Capitol Records Nashville, Dungan has the insight and experience to know that veering into uncharted musical territory can be dicey. Yet if the artist has talent and vision, and the music is an organic, honest fit, that can more than mitigate the risk. “Mike Dungan was great. He just said, ‘Go make a record.’ Of course, Dierks has had seven No. 1s, and we’re going to make a bluegrass record … great! No pressure on me,” said Stewart, with a laugh.

“It’s always a risk to step out into a side project like this,” Dungan said. “However, the music is so good and this was such a natural fit for Dierks that we were pretty confident that no matter what, we would have quality at the end of the line. And that’s exactly what we got.
This is a kid who moved from Phoenix and discovered that whole acoustic world at the Station Inn and became a regular down there, first in the audience and then getting up onstage and playing with anybody and everybody. This is so much a part of Dierks’ general makeup and I think he found this record easier to make than a regular Dierks record. It’s such a natural fit for him and he knows the genre and the players and the music so well.”

Despite the rootsy skew throughout Up on the Ridge, Dungan decided to stick with what has become Capitol Nashville’s established strategy for marketing Bentley’s work. “Everyone who heard the record was flipped out about it,” he explained. “So we just ended up marketing it the way we would a mainstream record with the addition of joining forces with Vanguard Records and leaning on their expertise in the bluegrass world to make sure we have all our bases covered in that area.

“The one thing that’s probably going to be the biggest driver of this is television,” Dungan continued. “The minute the TV bookers saw what this project was about and who the players were and the fact it was Dierks Bentley behind it, they jumped on it. In fact, in a lot of cases, they wanted him to come on the show probably before we would ordinarily want him to come on. We would like a lot of these appearances to hit around street date, but we’ve been doing them ahead of time because the bookers have been so anxious to get Dierks in place. TV bookers in general have an appreciation for things that are authentic, and I think that’s what they saw in this.”

If authenticity does indeed open media doors, then Up on the Ridge, which premiered on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart at No. 65 in June, may achieve the goal Bentley has for bringing the sound and feel of bluegrass and traditional acoustic Country to new markets. “A lot of people who like bluegrass may hear this and go, ‘It’s not bluegrass. It’s got drums and electric bass,’” he reflected. “Then Country fans may hear it and go, ‘That’s hardcore bluegrass.’ Different people will hear different things. I just hope my Country audience gets excited about hearing these acoustic instruments and these songs, and I hope the bluegrass people will love what we’ve done with some of these songs like ‘Bad Angel’ or ‘Bottle to the Bottom.’ There’s a Country circle and a bluegrass circle, and I tried to lay them on top of each other and find common ground in the two worlds. And I think this record really does that.”

Dierks Bentley will appear on “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock,” a three-hour television special to air Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 8/7c on the ABC Television Network.

Friday, August 20, 2010

DB Congress Exclusive Interview... Introducing: Cassady Feasby, "Slapper of da Bass"

Dierks Bentley and his new bass guitarist, Cassady Feasby, have a lot in common. They both like to laugh, have a passion for Pearl Jam and love going home to their girls--wives and daughters. This is the second exclusive interview in the series with new Team Lonesome members. The first was Brian Layson. Please join me in welcoming and getting to know Cassady Feasby.

DBC: Welcome to the DB family! How did the opportunity to work with Dierks come about? Were you a fan of his work before that?

Cassady: In January of 2010 my wife, Sara, began nannying for Evie [Dierks' daughter], which led to her and Cassidy [Dierks' wife] becoming friends. Cassidy sent a text message to her when we were driving to an ultrasound appointment one day asking if I knew any bass players who might be interested in auditioning to play with Dierks. Obviously I was. I spent the next weekend woodshedding four Dierks songs for a Monday afternoon audition. The audition went very well. As far as being a fan, I've always enjoyed music with lyrics and melodies that take me to interesting places or remind me of events in my past. Dierks' music does that. Whether on stage or waking up on the bus, it's still sinking in that I get to play these songs for a living. On top of that, (and I'm not brown nosing here) what you see is what you get with Dierks. He is a great guy, dad, and bossman. Every aspect of his organization is 110%.

(Photo Courtesy of Cassady Feasby)

DBC: You live in Nashville now; where did you grow up and what brought you to Nashville?

Cassady: I grew up in Convoy, Ohio. I have one brother. My parents showed cutting horses when we were growing up. We traveled a lot in a truck and trailer entering horse shows - not unlike what I do now. We always had a barrage of random animals on the farm with us. I have to say my favorites were the goats. Insert joke of choice here. :o) I have played drums since I could walk. I started playing guitar in '92 and bass in '95. In 1999 I moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University and graduated with a B.A. in music in '03. During that time I started beating the streets playing drum and bass gigs whenever, however, and with whoever I could. I've been a sideman as well as a frontman in original and cover bands. Prior to joining Team Lonesome, I was Warner Brother's artist Jason Jones' tour manager and slapper of da bass.

DBC: You previously toured with Jason Jones, Sarah Buxton and many others. What's one thing you learned performing with them that you bring to Dierks' show?


Cassady: Aside from making the music feel and sound good, I try to avoid any onstage collisions. Oh, and I've contributed the longest beard to the band...so far.

(Photo Credit: Stephanie Lanham)

DBC: You sang a killer Chris Stapleton stand in vocal on David Letterman recently when Dierks and you guys sang "Fallin' For You." Have you ever sung the lead on stage or on a record?


Cassady: I joined my first band when I was 13. I played drums and sang probably 90% of the songs we played. I sang on several demos (lead and bgv [background vocals]) while in college as well. I've had side projects prior to Dierks that I've sung lead in. As Waylon put it, "Singin my songs, one of his now and then..."

(Photo Credit: Ronna Clark)

DBC: What is your favorite song to sing and perform on stage with Dierks and the band?


Cassady: My favorite song from the Ridge album is "Fallin' for You". The few times we've actually done it have been incredible. As far as a song from the full band show "Long Trip Alone" or "Trying to Stop Your Leaving" are at the top of my list.

(Photo Credit: Stephanie Lanham)

DBC: What non-single song from early Dierks albums do you hope he will add to the set list that you are dying to play live?


Cassady: That's easy. "That Don't Make It Easy Loving Me."

(Photo Courtesy of Cassady Feasby)

DBC: Your Facebook interests include love, family, tasteless jokes, and drinks. "I believe they all go hand in hand." What's been the funniest moment in the six months since you've been with Dierks and the band? I'm talking laugh so hard you can't breathe moment! Please try to keep it PG13! DB Congress reps are age 7 to 77!


Cassady: Wow. I've laughed myself into splitting headaches many times. Humor-wise, pretty much anything goes as long as it's not hateful. Specifically, though, I've seen band guys (who will remain unnamed) on the bus dancing around in choice attire. I would say I wish you could've been there, but it may have scarred you for life. We are honky tonkers hanging out on a bus for hours on end. There have been many "can't breathe" moments. ;)

DBC: Speaking of 7. Dierks' lucky number is 7. What's yours and why?

Cassady: I've never really had a lucky number, however, many important events in my life have happened on the 9th, 19th, or 29th, so I'll go with 9.


DBC: What one non-musical thing do you have to do when you're not on the road with Dierks? What's your passion?

Cassady: My wife and I cook a lot. I love holding and singing to my daughter. The yard will always need mowed. Sometimes I'll play upright bass solos for my wife wearing only cowboy boots and various forms of undergarments.

(Photo courtesy of Cassady Feasby)

DBC: What is family-life like for you?

Cassady: We have a 3 month old daughter, Amelie, as well as a bird-dog named Garnet. When I'm not on the road, I'm at home with my ladies.

(Photos courtesy of Cassady Feasby)

DBC: You have a gazillion artists on your iTunes list, who double as your influences. Can you narrow that down to the three who have made the biggest impact and tell us how they have made a difference in your life and your career?

DOC: No, I can almost guarantee that I will not actually answer this question correctly.

->George Strait - The first three discs from his boxed set are incredible. My mom had every George LP when I was growing up. My very first concert was in 1987 with Kathy Mattea opening for him. He is one of the not-so-missing links to real country music.

->Creedance Clearwater Revival - My first memory of actually listening to music on my own is CCR's Chronicle album. The first guitar solo I ever learned was "Suzie Q".

->Marshall Tucker Band - My name actually comes from the credits on the "Fire On the Mountain" album. Aside from being jam-bandish, MTB was organic and hauntingly soulful.

And...when I was 11 my cousin introduced me to GnR's "Appetite for Destruction", STP's "Core", and Pearl Jam's "Even Flow" albums. Prior to this point in time, I pretty much had (what would later be determined) a man crush on Garth Brooks. I will always be searching for good music new and old.

Right now my favorite albums are The Bird and The Bee's first, self titled album and their newest album, "Interpreting the Masters" (all Hall & Oates covers). Also, no matter what mood I'm in, Slipknot's first album brings me back to normal for some reason.

(Photo Credit: Stephanie Lanham)


DBC: Your nickname is "The Doctor." Did Dierks name you that or did you have it before? How did that come about?

Cassady: Dierks did not name me that. I earned that nickname seven or eight years ago. This is a pg-13 blog, correct? Yes, there will be no story for that one.

DBC: Since joining the band, you've played The Opry, Letterman, Fallon, Kimmel...which one resonated the most with you and why?

Cassady: All of the late night tv shows have been firsts for me. The Opry was especially great not only because of the incredible lineup, but it was at the Ryman. My favorite would have to be the Jimmy Kimmel extravaganza. The stars aligned that night for Dierks AND Jimmy. What better opportunity for everyone involved to do what they do...with no electricity.


DBC: Any surprises from the DB fans? I hope they've made you feel welcome. Do you tend to stay on the bus or come out and visit before/after shows?

Cassady: I usually get off the bus and mill around the venue. I enjoy seeing the local sites...especially the local fishing. If anyone knows where the bass hang out, message me at www.myspace.com/dr.feasby. There haven't been any surprises. I've only met a few fans here and there and they've all been super cool and welcoming.


DBC: Tell us one revealing thing about Dierks that we don't already know! And, no, you can't use the same answer as Brian or Dan!

Cassady: Hmm. How do I not cross the line on this one? He enjoys watching the Pro Bowling Channel and his favorite past-time is cropdusting.

Who knew?

Thanks, Cassady for the 'candid' answers! Welcome to the DB Congress!

~Ronna Clark
DB Congress Chair

P.S. Keep checking back for the exclusive DB Congress interview with the newest addition to the team - Fiddlin' Dan Hochhalter!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Will Dierks Announce His Own CMA Nod?


With a critically acclaimed new album, Dierks Bentley just may finally get the recognition he deserves at the CMA Awards November 10th. But first he's got to be nominated.

Maybe he'll announce himself when Dierks and Miranda Lambert announce the final nominees on Wednesday, September 1, in five CMA Awards categories live from ABC’s Good Morning America studios in New York City’s Times Square. The announcement will air in the 8:30 AM/ET half-hour segment of the morning news program.

But “Country Music’s Biggest Morning” is too big for one day! The CMA announced today that the final nominees for The 44th Annual CMA Awards will be announced over two mornings, from two cities.

Or, maybe, Justin Moore and Chris Young will announce Dierks as an Album of the Year nominee, when they read the finalists in seven CMA Awards categories from Nashville at a press conference at the historic Ryman Auditorium on Tuesday, August 31.

CMT Insider Special Edition: 2010 CMA Awards Nominations featuring in-depth coverage of all the nominations, artist interviews, and more, will premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 1 (11:00 AM/ET).

“The CMA Awards final nominations are the most anticipated annual announcements in Country Music,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chairman of the Board. “By making the announcements over two days, we hope to focus even more attention on all the deserving nominees and their accomplishments.”

The 44th Annual CMA Awards known as “Country Music’s Biggest Night,” will be broadcast live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 10 (8:00-11:00 PM ET) on ABC.

Dierks' Miles & Music For Kids Nashville Announced! Miranda and Jerrod to Join

Finally! Dierks Bentley's much anticipated Miles and Music For Kids "Nashville" event has been officially announced--Sunday, October 17, 2010! Get ready for the DB Congress pre-sale tomorrow, Wednesday, August 18 at 3 pm central at dierks.com (Fan Club page)!

Tickets are on sale to the public starting Friday, August 20.

Celebrity motorcycle ride and concert on October 17, 2010
Multi-platinum country music star Dierks Bentley will host his fifth annual “Miles & Music for Kids” celebrity motorcycle ride and benefit concert on Oct. 17 in Nashville. In only five years, the event has attracted over 30,000 fans and raised an impressive $1.2 million for children’s hospitals in Nashville, Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta.

“Miles and Music is one of the greatest things we do all year,” says Bentley. “The Nashville community has been coming out year after year to support us...crazy to think we’ve been doing it for five years now. So many people contribute their time and money to make this a success...looking forward to making year #5 bigger and better than ever.”

This year, the hour-long motorcycle ride will kick off at a new location, Harley-Davidson of Columbia (1616 Harley Davidson Blvd., Columbia, TN), and end at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville with a concert featuring Bentley and special guests including Miranda Lambert and Jerrod Niemann. More artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for the family-friendly event go on sale on Fri., Aug. 20 through Ticketmaster (tickets for Dierks' fan club, the DB Congress, will be available on Wednesday). Tickets for the ride, concert and commemorative T-shirt are $50, or those looking to attend the concert only can purchase tickets for $20. Special VIP packages are also available. Sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, all proceeds from the Nashville event will benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.

TICKET OPTIONS:

$300 Ticket includes: A Ride in the Pack with the Artists and VIP Concert ticket with access to VIP Concert Tent with food & beverages & T-Shirt.

$150 Ticket includes: VIP Concert ticket with access to the VIP Concert Tent with food & beverages.

$80 Duo (Combo) Ticket: Good for 2 regular Concert tickets and Duo Riders and 2 T-Shirts ( 1 Bike with 2 Riders).

$50 Ticket: Good for Regular Concert ticket and Ride and T-Shirt ( 1 Rider only ).

$20 Ticket: Good for Regular Concert ticket only.

Wow! I can't believe in five years I have never been able to attend one of these momentous events--until this year! Can't wait!~Ronna

Dierks On The List To Look Out For

Jessica Cornett put Dierks Bentley on a list years ago--for those to be on the lookout for--after seeing him open for Del McCoury at The Station Inn. She has an interesting interpretation of the new single, Draw Me A Map.

New Music Monday: Dierks Bentley - Draw Me a Map
August 16th, 2010 11:26 pm

Back before he was making a scene filling arenas and making music videos on tv, Dierks Bentley was performing gigs at the legendary Station Inn in Nashville, TN. It was during one of those nights that I first learned of this talented artist. He was opening up for the Del McCoury Band. I quickly took note of his name and put it on a list of those to be on the lookout for. It wasn't two months later he was asking "what was I thinking" on CMT.

Fast forward several years of albums, concerts, and an induction to the famous Grand Ole Opry, Dierks Bentley would soon go back to his roots. He would infuse bluegrass with country with his own twist.

The second release off of Dierks' latest album, Up On the Ridge, is "Draw Me a Map." It features the background vocals of Alison Krauss. The heartfelt tune can take on several meanings. One of those would be losing someone you loved deeply who has left the relationship. You want to know what you did to bring them back to you and hopefully make things work for the better.

A few can relate to the song if someone in their life has passed away and you are needing direction to live without them. You hope one day to join them in the heaven's above.

What works for Dierks Bentley and "Draw Me a Map" is that his song presentation is with simplicity and meaning. He excels in portraying the message into a deeper emotion.


Be sure to call, email, tweet, text and facebook your local DJs and on yes.com and request Draw Me A Map every day!

~Ronna

Monday, August 16, 2010

Dierks Bentley iPhone Video - Billy Idol

As CMT.com's Posted Artist of the Month, Dierks Bentley sent an exclusive 26 second video for them to "Post":



Not sure why, but Up On The Ridge is no longer on the vote page for the Top 20 Videos! Tell CMT you want it back!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

DB Congress Rep Rocks With Bentley to Billy Idol's Rebel Yell

"Just saw Billy F. Idol, and rocking out in the seat next to me was Dierks Bentley!"
That quote on Monica Mcmaken's Facebook caught my eye, and then I saw her comment on the DB Congress blog, "Dierks Bentley's Fan/Idol Experience":

"The show was amazing! Dierks ended up next to me. Very surreal to have our fists in the air in time to "Rebel Yell"!"

I had to know more! So I asked her to give DB Congress the scoop. Here's what she told me:

"I had a heart attack when I saw Dierks coming to stand next to me at the show. I didn't see anyone else approach Dierks. I told him I was in his fan club and a member of DB Congress [Arizona Rep] and had been at Jimmy Kimmel. He gave me a BIG hug. I also told him I had gotten a phone call earlier in the day from a friend that I had told to join his fan club and she called me to thank me because she already has won a Meet and Greet. I then said, 'I know you are a music fan and are here to enjoy the show and I won't bother you.'"

You can't stop there, Monica! That had to be so surreal for you! So what did he say after that? Wasn't Brian Layson his guitar player with him?

"Yes and his manager, Chris. My friend was a little tipsy and wanted to change spots with me to talk to Dierks and I said, 'No, not during the show.'"

Good for you standing your ground! I would have been the same way--not wanting to bother him. I agree it was a dream come true for you! So did Dierks say anything else to you during or after the show?

"I wanted to take a photo of him enjoying the show but didn't want to bother him. I did ask them if they wanted drinks but they said no. After, we got a quick photo and he was leaving but I talked to Chris and Brian. I told Brian I was DB Congress and he repeated it to Chris! I wish Dierks would have stayed to get a pic with Billy. I wondered why he didn't stick around to meet Billy."

"I still have the biggest grin on my face because I still can't believe I was right next to Dierks. OMG! Just thinking about it, I melt! Crazy stuff. You could only dream about this! I was worried about posting that Dierks was at the Billy Idol show but then I saw his Twitter about it."

"I still am in shock! I loved the show but I loved even more that Dierks was right next to me. I bumped arms with him quite a few times because I'm up dancing and clapping during a show."

Bill Idol, the legendary 80s rock rebel, took the stage at 8 pm at the Pechanga Resort & Casino’s Showroom Theater on August 13, 2010. The show featured longtime partner and guitarist Steve Stevens. Fans heard some new tunes, along with favorites like “Rebel Yell,” “Mony Mony,” “White Wedding” and “Dancing With Myself.”

Dierks will perform for Arizona State University students on Tuesday night, August 17. Admission is free with your ASU ID and one guest. Both of Monica's kids go to ASU, so looks like she'll be seeing Dierks again real soon, only this time in her home state!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

CMT Minute With Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley answers a series of quick questions in 60 seconds. Cologne or After Shave? Dogs or Cats? Read a Book or Watch a Movie? How do you think he answered these and 22 other questions? Find out here:

Opry's Video Challenge Features Dierks!

Play Opry.com's Country Music Video Challenge! Opry.com has launched a new interactive game and not only is it fun, but it’s also for a good cause! The Country Music Video Challenge features video clips of Opry performances – including Dierks Bentley – followed by questions about those clips and the artists featured in them. Plus, Opry Presenting Sponsor Humana® has pledged to pay $1 for each of the first 25,000 fans who play the game.

In addition to showing off your country music trivia mettle and assisting with continuing flood relief efforts, by playing the game you will also be entered to win one-of-a-kind Challenge prizes, including an autographed Gibson guitar, $500 cash, and a trip to Nashville including VIP tickets to the Opry! Just for being a fan, you can receive extra entries to the sweeps. All you have to do is log in at oprychallenge.com, click to earn extra entries, and enter the secret word to receive 5 BONUS ENTRIES!

Your Secret Word is: Dierks

Go to oprychallenge.com to check the game out for yourself. Be warned … it can be addictive!

Road Songs Take Over "The Thread", Dierks Bentley's Radio Show

George and Jake join Dierks again this week in the studio of "The Thread," his WSM radio show. As he runs down the road songs. "Jake and George have been with me out there on the road, they know what the road is like and they have a good time being out there and this week the songs are all about the road--"Highways and Byways." Dierks' canine friends are country music fans, too!

Dierks kicked off the show with the "King" of the road song--Roger Miller--"King Of The Road." More songs on the play list include:

Give Me The Highway (Vince Gil and Del McCoury)

Route 66 (Asleep At The Wheel)
Dierks mentioned how this song means a lot to him since he's from Arizona and Route 66 runs right through it, and that he'd been on that famous road many times on the 25-hour ride to and from Phoenix, AZ and Nashville, TN in his Truck with over 200,000 miles on the odometer.


Last Highway (Steve Wariner) Dierks said he just LOVES hearing that song!

Highway 40 Blues (Ricky Skaggs) "One of my favorite bluegrassy country songs about the road--we used to play this song down at a little bar called Market Street on 2nd Avenue..."

Lost Highway (Hank Williams) "No song speaks more about the road."

18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses (Kathy Mattea) "That song just really strikes a chord with me...such a powerfully written song...Gene Nelson and Paul Nelson wrote that song."

Callin' Baton Rouge (New Grass Revival) Later recorded by Garth Brooks. Garth brought in Same Bush and others to play on this track because he couldn't get it the way he wanted it to sound.

Drivin' My Life Away (Eddie Rabbit)


Readin' Writin', Route 23 (Dwight Yoakam) - Class of '89; Dwight had a huge influence on Dierks.

On The Road Again (Willie Nelson) "The road song of my generation. Willie recently cut off his hair - I've have had some experience with cutting off my hair and getting a similar reaction - pretty unfavorable."


The Outlaw Story Song: Highway 17 (Rodney Crowell) "This song gives me goose bumps...it is so mesmerizing - really showcases Rodney as a story teller."

Red Dirt Road (Brooks and Dunn) "Me and my band have been known to do a bluegrass version of that song!"


"Looking at this sheet of songs Shannon [McCombs, Producer] has prepared for me, and I'm up next!"

Free and Easy Down The Road I Go (Dierks Bentley!)

Listen to the entire August 9 Episode here.

Next Monday on The Thread, Dierks will go through the lying songs of country. Don't miss "Can’t Tell The Truth" on Monday, August 16 at 2 pm Central time! You can listen online at wsmonline.com.

Dierks Bentley's Fan / Idol Experience

Dierks Bentley's tour schedule usually has him performing every Thursday through Sunday night of late. So when Friday the 13th was not listed, I started wondering...is he superstitious? Or does the time difference and travel to California from Tennessee require a day in between? Come to find out, it was actually a matter of 'idol' chatter.

Apparently, Billy Idol was in town and Dierks was forced to go through a normal "fan" experience to try to see the artist whose poster covered his wall when Dierks was a teen-ager. Check out his Facebook/Tweets from yesterday:

"so this is what it's like to be on the outside. not cool."

"tried the ole "you guys like country music?" to @billyidol crew out by buses... "nope". not looking good!"

"Joann is my hero!!!"

"success @billyidol. makes me appreciate all our fans go thru to come to our shows. thx"


We do go through a lot sometimes, but it's ALWAYS worth it to see you, Dierks! Sorry you had to experience that but we appreciate you sharing! Love your sense of humor!

Exclusive DB Congress Interviews with Bentley's Band of Brothers: Brian Layson

If you've attended a Dierks Bentley show in the past six months, you may have noticed a few new faces on stage. I asked for an interview with each of them. New electric guitar player Brian Layson graciously and quickly replied to my "inquiring minds want to know" list of questions.

Introducing...Brian layson. Please join me in welcoming him to the DB Congress family!


DBC: Welcome to the DB family! How did the opportunity to work with Dierks come about? Were you a fan of his work before that?

Brian: Thanks Ronna! I appreciate your kindness and your welcoming me in! I'm very happy to be a part of the organization. My joining the band came about in a very casual way really...I met Robbie [Harrington] at a session a couple of years back and met Dierks at a few different shows where I was with other artists on the same bill. Then, Dierks did a couple of TV appearances last year for "IWMYCYE" and wanted someone to come in to play acoustic and help with some of the background vocals and they called me for it. During that trip we all hit it off and ended up all becoming pretty good friends. Fast forward to around March of this year, when the guys decided to make some changes, they called me up and just basically said, "You wanna come down and see what happens?" and it just fell into place literally in one day. And yes, I was (and still am) a big fan of Dierks' work. I have always really appreciated his music (even owned a couple of records) and respected him as an artist and a person, so getting the opportunity to work with him is definitely a milestone for me.

(Brian and Dierks after the Tampa Bay Rays game)

DBC: You live in Nashville now; where did you grow up and what brought you to Nashville?

Brian: I grew up in Macon, Georgia and moved to Nashville to play with an artist named Will Hoge in 2000.

DBC: You were previously the Lead Guitarist/Musical Director for Julianne Hough. What is the biggest difference between Julianne and Dierks’ on-stage and off?

Brian: Well, even though they're very different from a musical perspective, as far as the "show" goes, there's actually a lot of similarities. Both Julianne and Dierks are high-energy performers that don't like to stay in one spot too long during shows:) Off stage, they're both great, down to earth people that are very passionate about what they do.

DBC: Who else have you played with? Country? Rock? Blues bands?

Brian
: Will Hoge, Julianne Hough, Chuck Wicks, Lee Ann Womack, Holly Williams, The Revenge are a few...I was with Will for almost 7 years and didn't really start working in the country genre until just a few years ago even though I've been a fan of country for a long time.

DBC: You play electric guitar in the band, but you also play a bit of steel (watch out, Timmie!). What other instruments do you play?

Brian: Haha:) I don't think my steel "playing" will be putting Tim's job in jeopardy anytime soon:) I also play mandolin, bass, drums, and a little bit of piano.

(Brian and Tim Sergent; Photo Credit: Stephanie Lanham)

DBC: You’ve shown on stage your great harmony vocals. Describe the moment you realized you had a singing voice.

Brian: Wow, thanks! You know, I don't think I had a "moment." I started my own band when I was 16 and couldn't find a singer so I just started singing out of necessity I guess:)

DBC: You have a beautiful family! What’s your favorite thing to do with them when you’re not on the road?

Brian: Thanks! I'm a lucky guy for sure. I just try to spend as much time with them as possible, going out to dinner, watching TV, grilling out, etc...Nothing too out of the ordinary you know? Just hanging together as much as we can.

DBC: Dierks has made a huge impact on kids through his Miles and Music For Kids events. Tell us more about your charitable work with the inner-city children of Nashville.

Brian
: Yeah, I'm really proud to be working with an artist that wants to help kids in need. My wife and I joined up with a ministry in Nashville called GloryStorm that was started by a couple in our church. We reach out to families in the housing communities/projects in Nashville and offer financial support, food and clothing, etc., to the families that are really struggling. Part of that focus is working with the children and doing whatever we can to give them opportunities and skills to better their lives and communities. We've started a learning/tutoring center for the children, an AWESOME youth choir called Unity, and a drama team, etc.

DBC: What is your favorite song to sing and perform on stage with Dierks and the band? Why?

Brian: That's tough! There's a lot...I really enjoy "Lot of Leaving", "Come A Little Closer", "Feel That Fire" to name a few. Honestly, they're all fun to play b/c Dierks has great songs and they're all loaded with fun guitar parts:)

DBC: What non-single song from early Dierks albums do you hope he will add to the set list that you are dying to play live?

Brian: Hmmm...There's quite a few there too..."That Don't Make It Easy Loving Me", "Here She Comes", "Prodigal Son's Prayer", "Gonna Get There Someday" are a few.

DBC: You’ve done some producing and songwriting. Tell us more about that. Have you and Dierks collaborated on any new songs?

Brian: Yeah, producing is something I really enjoy. I worked in studios for a long time before I went on the road full time and I love it. I hope I get the chance to do more of it. The work I've done so far have all been independent records...The artists include Chris Talley, James Dunn, Nick Malloy, and Deepwell. I'm getting ready to start on another project with a guy named Shane Bridges too. PLEASE check these artists out and lemme know what you think. They're great and I'd love to stir up some support for these guys. No, at this point Dierks and I haven't collaborated on anything new but I'd certainly love to.

DBC: You’ve been on board about six months now. How have you and your new band mates bonded?

Brian: Just a lot of laughing and hanging out. Golfing, XBox, staying up all night listening to great music on the bus, etc. We've all been doing this for a long time and it's good to be with a group of folks where everyone is really humble and grounded and easy to be around. No egos or drama floating around. That goes for our crew as well. It's a great group through and through.

( Brian, Tim Sergent, Steve Misamore, Dierks, and Cassady in Tampa after the Rays game)

DBC
: What is Dierks’ nickname for you and why does he call you that?

Brian: You know, I don't think I've gotten an official nickname yet! We'll have to work on that:)

(Brian Layson after the Tampa Bay Rays game)

DBC
: Since joining the band, you’ve played The Opry, Letterman, Fallon, Kimmel...which one resonated the most with you and why?

Brian: Letterman and the Opry show we did were really special. Letterman b/c it was a first for me. The Opry show was special b/c we had so many incredible guests joining us and it was just a great night. And with Dierks being a member of the Opry, it was that much cooler for me. I've done the Opry a few times before but performing with an actual "member" is a highlight.

DBC: What surprises you most about the fans? I hope they’ve made you feel welcome.

Brian: They have been really welcoming. I haven't gotten to talk to too many, but the ones I have spoken to have been great. I was a bit nervous about that actually because I know how lineup changes can really throw some people off, but hopefully that won't happen too much because we're having a great time and we're really committed to making our shows and performances the best and most fun they can be for Dierks' fans. After all, I'm not just a band member, I'm a fan of Dierks too!

DBC: Tell us one revealing thing about Dierks that we don’t already know! Remember, we’re hard core so dig deep!

Brian: Hmmm...Not sure what I'm at liberty to say...haha...One thing that's interesting is that the guy doesn't require much sleep. He's one of the only people I know that can hang out til 2 or 3 in the morning and be up and at 'em by 7am or so! It's pretty impressive. And he's really freakin' good at NHL Hockey on XBox, even though I beat him for the first time this morning! Hahaha! He'll hate that I put that:)

(Photo Credit: Stephanie Lanham)

Thanks, Brian, for being so accommodating! We love getting to know you a little! Keep checking back, congress, for a continuing series of blogs introducing newcomers Cassady (DOC) Feasby on bass and Dan Hochhalter on fiddle!

I'm thinking Dierks needs to add "Band of Brothers" to the set list!

~Ronna
DB Congress Chair

Friday, August 13, 2010

Dierks and Band of Brothers Fiddlin' Around

Although Dierks Bentley found another funny way to make fun of drummer Steve Misamore, this pic also serves as the first glimpse of new fiddle player, Dan Hochhalter! Playing his first permanent gig with DB and his band of brothers, I'm sure Dan gave Ventura, California a night to remember!

Dierks' caption:
"i can't believe that @justinbieber 's uncle plays drums for us..."
Left to right: Tim Sergent, Dan, Dierks, Doc (Cassady) Feasby, Steve, and Brian Layson

So, who was there last night? Please comment and let us know--did Dan do a little "Fiddlin' Around?"

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Bentley's Acoustic Version of Draw Me A Map

Dierks Bentley jokes with his guitarist, Brian Layson, that he'll let him sing Alison Krauss' part in this acoustic version of Draw Me A Map:



"The fans have been asking for 'Draw Me a Map' ever since we released the album," Dierks says. "I can't wait to hear it through my truck speakers!"

Start requesting, congress! Several fans have already heard it on their local radio stations! If you request it and/or hear it, come back here and post the date, time, radio station and city/state in the comments! Thanks!

Did Dierks Answer Your Question?

CMT, aka @FollowCMT on Twitter, asked followers to 'tweet' questions to ask Dierks Bentley. They posted his answers on his Artist of the Month page on CMT.com! Did Dierks answer one of your questions? Check it out below!


@areyes03: Any new songs you're writing? I've been trying not to ... trying to just focus on and enjoy Up on the Ridge. But, I've had some ideas floating around up there for a while and I'm starting to think about getting back into it.

@countrytunes: Would you please consider adding "Prodigal Son's Prayer" to your set list? I certainly will. After debating it for a few years, we've decided to add a fiddle player to the band. Having him will really help out with playing songs off Up on the Ridge live, as well as grassy tunes like "Prodigal Son's Prayer" from previous albums.

@rich94car: When did you realize you wanted to sing? I've always loved music ... had posters of singers all over my walls growing up. (Billy Idol, Madonna ... a lot of stuff my sister and older friends turned me on to.) But at 17 I heard Hank Williams Jr. for the first time and I knew without a single doubt that I wanted to be a country singer.

@RebaHardin: If you could duet with any other country artist who would it be? Guy? Girl? Singing a duet with George Strait would be about as good as it gets. I just did something with Rodney Crowell that will be coming out sometime soon, and that was a real highlight for me. Singing "Bad Angel" with Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson is the coolest collaboration I've ever done on one of my records.

@tswiftfan11: Were you worried when you released Up on the Ridge that no one would take to it because of the different sound? I think when people hear the album, in particular the single, they get that it's not just a "bluegrass" record. My hope is that first song erases any pre-conceived ideas that anyone might have had about the record or bluegrass music in general. Then, if they want they can dig a little deeper into some more traditional stuff like "You're Dead to Me" or "Rovin' Gambler."

@flybaby014563: Why was it so important to have Miranda and Jamey in the song "Bad Angel"? "Bad Angel" was written by Suzi Ragsdale and Verlon Thompson. They did a live version of it with Guy Clark and Darrell Scott. When I thought about who would be my current day Guy Clark and Darrell Scott, I immediately thought of Miranda and Jamey ... two singer-songwriters I truly respect and enjoy hanging out with.

@KarenDeaney: How did it feel to play "Wanted" with Bon Jovi at HullabaLOU? Incredible/amazing/surreal. My first concert I snuck out to was Bon Jovi with Skid Row as the opener. I was 13 years old and had just discovered the electric guitar, power chords and distortion pedals. I told Jon that the only thing I remembered about that concert was the girl standing next to me in a short leather dress ... he loved it!!!

@laurastinsonn: What's your favorite song to play at one of your concerts? I've written or co-written most of them, so they all have some particular thing that makes enjoy digging into them and singing them night after night. But, I will say "Settle for a Slowdown" and "Long Trip Alone" are two I really enjoy singing. I also love playing the stuff off of Up on the Ridge because I get to jam with my band and nothing is more fun than that.