Dedicated Dierks Bentley Congress Rep Reflects On First Show, Meet & Greet

It's two in the morning and the house is quiet except for the sound of us Chatty Cathys whispering wildly about the amazing Dierks Bentley experience just a few hours before in Estero, Florida, March 15.  We're at the kitchen table, munching on McDonald's and trying not to wake up Sherrie Shamon's husband, mom or dog Lexi.  The alarm gets set for 6 am to get on the road to Jacksonville to do it all again. Such is the life of two long-time DRT (Dierks Road Trip) buddies, right?

Wrong.  Sherrie and I met on Twitter and Facebook over a year ago, but this was the first time we met in person.  To save on hotel expense, she opened her home to me.  Who does that?  Friends through Dierks--DB Congress friends!

And it's as if we've known each other for years--instantly.  We have a lot in common--around the same age, have grown kids, a love for Dierks and his music, but one thing was was not so common.  While I will hit my 50th DB show this year, Sherrie was a Dierks 'virgin' before that night!  Yes. After a year and a half of promoting him daily, this was Sherrie's first Dierks concert! He finally came a little closer to her in Florida --and she won a Meet and Greet!

"When Dierks first came into the meet and greet, he said "Hey, guys. How's everyone doing?" Then he walked over and stood next to me, put his arm around me, hugged me close to him, and said, "So, you've been waiting here all day?" I almost died right then and there! I was so surprised!


He then asked if anybody had any questions for him. Someone asked about Last Call Ball and he said it would be either Wednesday or Sunday [We now know it will be Sunday--details next week!] and might be during the day. He was sniffling and I asked him if he was getting sick, since we knew Brian had been sick (Brian Layson, lead guitar). He said no, he had allergies. Someone said something about his daughters and he said yes, they were with him. I said that I had seen them out on the stage earlier and he laughed and said that they were out there making sure everything was set up right!

When we got the one-on-one time with him, he was getting ready to sign my t-shirt that I had bought and he said, "It's Sherrie, right?" I was so shocked that he knew who I was and he said, "I know who you are. I see you on Twitter."

They had asked us to only have him sign one thing. But I also had on my DB Congress t-shirt and after he signed the t-shirt I bought for him to sign, he asked if I wanted him to sign my t-shirt that I had on.  I, of course, immediately said yes. So, he signed that, too!


He was so gracious and took his time with all of us. It was not rushed at all, even though there were a ton of other people waiting to meet him (he met with the fan club members first).

My favorite part of the concert? Hmmm....that's a hard one. I absolutely loved the Up On The Ridge part when they were up there on the elevated stage with the woods background. And I loved when they all came down to the end of the catwalk and played. I also loved how he interacts with the fans during the concert. He makes everyone feel like he's there just for them. It was just totally amazing."

-Sherrie Shamon, DBC Rep (FL)

Thanks for sharing your DB experience, your home and your friendship, Sherrie!

-Ronna Clark
DB Congress Chair (FL)

 

We Hold On and On and On and On and On

If you've seen Dierks Bentley live in concert lately, you know he's added a new song to the set list. Known for his awe-inspiring, autobiographical songwriting skills, Dierks hits the nail on the head with, "I Hold On."  Not only does it hold true to his character, but it inspires us (DB Congress) as well.

"If I had to play one song for a complete stranger, it would be this one. This is what I'm all about."  ~Dierks Bentley

Last weekend in Estero, Florida, Dierks introduced the self-anthem and we held up signs for the last verse to show how we feel about our favorite artist--just like the song says. Dierks picked up the last sign and held it up to the crowd and said, "thank you!"

See full lyrics below, but here's the last verse:

Yeah baby look at you right now

There ain't ever been no doubt

Without you I'd be nothin'

So if you ever worry 'bout me walkin out

Yeah let me tell you somethin'

I hold on

I hold on

IIIIII Hoooooold On

Let us tell you somethin'...

I Hold On – Dierks Bentley

It's just an old beat up truck

Some say that I should trade up

Now that I got some
jangle in my pocket

But what they don't understand 

Is its the miles that make a man

I wouldn't trade that thing in for a rocket

What they don't know's
my dad and me

We drove her out to Tennessee

And she's still here and now he's gone

So I hold on

Yeah it's just an old beat up box

Six rusty strings across the top

It probably don't look like much to you

But these dents and scratches
in the wood

Yeah that's what makes it
sound so good

To me it's better than brand new

You see this here flat top guitar's

Had my back in a million bars

Singing every country song

So I hold on

To the things I believe in

My faith, Your love, our freedom

To the things I can count on to keep me going strong

Yeah I hold on

I hold on 

I hold on

Like the stripes to the flag

Like a boy to his dad

I can't change who I am right or wrong

So I hold on

Yeah baby lookin' at you right now

There ain't ever been no doubt

Without you I'd be nothin'

So if you ever worry 'bout me walkin out

Yeah let me tell you somethin'

I hold on

I hold on
I hold on...can you hear me baby?

IIIIII Hoooooold On

To the things I believe in

My faith, Your love, our freedom

To the things I can count on to keep me going strong

So I hold on

Yeah I hold on 

I hold on and on and on and on and on

### 

So if you ever worry about whether or not to include this song on your upcoming album, Dierks, just know that we hold on no matter what. But it sure would keep us going strong if you did.