First Show, Meet and Greet For One of Dierks Bentley's Biggest Deaf Fans

Keri Nutt has been deaf since she was two years old but she is one of Dierks Bentley's biggest fans! She wore a hearing aid from the age of four until about eight years ago when she switched to a Cochlear Implant in her right ear, allowing her to hear Dierks' voice and music.

"I can hear with the implant fairly well in my right ear and speak pretty well," Keri tells us.  "Sounds like I have an accent, though, and when I get nervous I tend to speak softly. I believe in doing both signing (ASL) and speaking but it depends on who I am hanging around with. I am fully deaf in my left ear and use the implant in my right ear and once I don't have it on I'm fully deaf, obviously."

"I adore Dierks and his music. He is just the ultimate inspiration for me because of who he is and what he does. His music and songs are what gets me through each day."  Keri posted her "Behind Black" fan video on dierks.com to explain why she is especially fond of "Riser":

Keri attended her first Dierks concerts in Texas last weekend, including interpreters, VIP and her first Meet and Greet. She told us all about her experience below.

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I was just so grateful for the opportunity to see him perform. I didn't anticipate winning a meet and greet too, but was hoping and when it happened it was beyond my wildest dreams! I requested interpreters for the shows, too.

I love Dierks' voice.  He has the sexiest and most clear voice I have ever heard.

The VIP Event was beautiful because I got to see the acoustic performances from Dierks.  It was very personal and amazing. The ASL interpreters were awesome!  I loved the VIP experience all the way around because it was small and intimate. It was awesome seeing Dierks interacting with the fans.

https://www.facebook.com/keri.nutt/videos/10154442180529153/

I am utterly and eternally grateful for the Meet and Greet opportunity with Dierks in Dallas last weekend, August 20. It was my very first time to meet him as well as attend his awesome concerts. He truly is a very kind and soft spoken gentleman. I was in awe the entire time and nervous. There were so many things I wanted to say and "sign" to him but completely blanked out.

I had planned on showing him a few signs but instead gave him a piece of cardboard for him to sign his name, he asked me what my name was and I signed and spoke K E R I.  He asked how to spelled it, I said, like the hand lotion commercial, Keri.  He chuckled and said, "I don't watch very many commercials, Keri." I laughed.  My ASL interpreters were with me and signing for us.  Dierks was very gracious and kind to them as well.

I got my picture taken with Dierks and signed to him and thanked him.  He thanked me back and then I got my pic taken again with my common in law next to him as well. It was such an amazing experience, I only wished I had more time to talk to him but I knew there were others waiting their turns.

THE CONCERTS: Dallas and Houston.  Damn! That man knows how to put on class act shows!

I was completely in awe the entire time from the start to the end. I didn't want the night to end! It was truly magical and just fricking awesome!  Dierks knows how to work the crowd and make everyone feel a part of the songs itself.  The ASL interpreters were amazing.  I really appreciated them tremendously. They also had a blast!

I will never ever forget my first time for Dierks weekend and I am truly grateful and changed for life.

You can plan on seeing me at more at Dierks shows and I hope to meet Dierks again to talk and sign longer with him and actually show him some signs!

Sincerely,

Keri

P.S.  If anyone has any questions about implants or ASL or anything, I would be more than happy to assist with info.

Young Fan Gets Priceless Birthday Gift from Dierks Bentley

 

One of our youngest DB Congress members, 8-year-old Derek Verst, got the best birthday gift ever last weekend in Indy! 

 

Mom Gina told us, "Derek is one of my triplets and it was his belated birthday present to go to the Dierks Bentley concert, including VIP."

 

Last September in Cincinnati, Dierks pulled Derek on stage during Drunk On A Plane.  So his goal for the VIP experience this time in Indy was to get Dierks to sign a photo he had brought from last year's experience.

 

But, boy did he get so much more! Gina tells us the story:

 

"The Indy VIP show was already extra special in and of itself because Dierks' girls, Evie and Jordan, each joined him on stage to sing songs.  But, then while prepping to do D.O.A.P. during the VIP show, Derek held out the photo and Dierks willingly autographed it.  He then asked Derek if he remembered the words.  Derek confidently replied, "Yes!" (he later asked me how he could not know the words to his FAVORITE song?!?)  Dierks helped him up on the stage and adjusted the mic Ben Helson had been singing on.  Derek nailed every last word!

 

Derek was still floating on cloud 9 from the VIP experience and I think his night would have been made with that.

 

But, he stood in the pit at the rail near our seats, singing and dancing along the entire night.  His face when the plane emerged for D.O.A.P. was PRICELESS! 

 

A group of people who were in the VIP event came over and asked if they could try to get Derek on stage and I said, "Sure!"  While Dierks was singing D.O.A.P., a man lifted Derek up and a large group of people started pointing and motioning towards Derek.  Dierks came over and grabbed his "co-pilot."  He placed Derek in the cock-pit of the plane and Derek got the best view in the house to watch the remainder of the finale.

 

 

 

After the show, Dierks tweeted a shout-out to his "co-pilot" with the picture."

 

 

 

Truly an unforgettable night!

Special thanks to Suzanne Jarvis for the videos and Kathy Butler for the photos.